ไทย
English
中國人
Real Madrid are reportedly unhappy with England's choice to leave midfield star Jude Bellingham on the bench during matches against Uruguay and Japan, according to a new report.
The 22-year-old, who had been sidelined for seven weeks with a hamstring problem, was included in Thomas Tuchel's 35-man squad for the March international window. Two friendly fixtures appeared, at least in theory, to be an ideal opportunity for Bellingham to rebuild his match sharpness ahead of a critical run of games for Los Blancos.
However, the No. 10 failed to see a single minute of action in the Three Lions' 1–1 draw with Uruguay or their 1–0 loss to Japan, essentially extending Bellingham's absence from competitive football by another two weeks.
MARCA reports that Real Madrid felt the England international "needed" game time. By leaving him unused on the bench, Tuchel has "done little" to aid the player's return to form and fitness. The club now considers the entire international trip "unnecessary."
The Clock Is Ticking for Bellingham Ahead of Bayern Munich Clash
With Bellingham having gone unused during the international break—a precautionary call, according to Tuchel—he now has only this weekend's fixture away at Mallorca to build fitness before the Champions League quarterfinal first leg against Bayern Munich on Tuesday.
With Federico Valverde suspended for the La Liga match after being sent off in the Madrid derby, there is a notable gap in Álvaro Arbeloa's lineup that Bellingham could potentially fill. However, it remains uncertain whether the manager will hand his key midfielder a starting role given his limited recent playing time.
The Englishman managed just a brief 16-minute substitute appearance against Atlético Madrid before the international break—his first and only outing since he left the pitch in tears at the beginning of February.
Under normal circumstances, Bellingham would likely be eased back in from the bench at the weekend to gradually rebuild his fitness, but with Bayern Munich visiting the Bernabéu next week, Real Madrid may not have the luxury of a patient approach—particularly if they want their midfielder fit to start in the Champions League quarterfinals.
Real Madrid Otherwise Unscathed After International Break
Despite their frustration over England's management of Bellingham, Real Madrid had much to be positive about over the past fortnight. Remarkably, no player picked up an injury while away on international duty—an uncommon outcome for the Spanish club.
Additionally, Éder Militão has entered the final phase of his rehabilitation and could be in contention for a call-up for Saturday's trip to Mallorca, following four months out with a hamstring injury.
There were also standout performances from Arbeloa's key players around the world. Star forward Kylian Mbappé looked sharp and back to his best, finding the net for France in a 2–1 victory over Brazil. His attacking partner Vinicius Junior had a quieter game in that fixture, but bounced back with a dazzling assist in Brazil's 3–1 win over Croatia.
Valverde also showed his quality, converting a late penalty for Uruguay to secure a 1–1 draw against England. Meanwhile, Arda Güler played his part in helping Türkiye navigate the World Cup playoffs and book their place at the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico this summer.