Xabi Alonso Drops Bombshell: Major Strategy Shift Awaits Jude Bellingham's Real Madrid Comeback
Real Madrid head coach Xabi Alonso has confirmed that Jude Bellingham will operate as an attacking midfielder within his tactical setup.
The English star has filled various positions during his initial two campaigns at the Santiago Bernabéu. The club's inability to properly replace Karim Benzema pushed the natural midfielder into an unusually forward role, which triggered his most prolific scoring period.
After signing Kylian Mbappé during the 2024 summer window, Carlo Ancelotti moved Bellingham back to a deeper midfield role, causing his goal output to decrease from 23 to 14 despite featuring for an additional 600 minutes in his second season.
Alonso, who quickly took over from Ancelotti before the Club World Cup, used the summer competition to openly test various tactical systems. Bellingham featured in all six matches as Madrid reached the semifinals, playing across numerous positions and switching between the most advanced attacking role to more defensive duties.
A shoulder operation prevented Bellingham from participating in Madrid's opening five matches of the new season before he finally returned as a late substitute in Saturday's clash with Espanyol.
Madrid have achieved a flawless beginning to the campaign under Alonso, securing six victories from six matches, though the Spanish manager emphasized that Bellingham would receive a warm reception back into the starting lineup. His exact positioning on the field has now been clarified.
"Jude's role is as an attacking midfielder," Alonso explained to reporters during the weekend. "He possesses an extraordinary range of movement, and the more we can utilize him, the stronger our display becomes. The Club World Cup provided a unique experience. With him and [Eduardo] Camavinga, we gain two extra alternatives, two elite-level players."
Former Real Madrid fan favorite Lucas Vázquez responded to Bellingham's post celebrating his comeback with the brief message: "Star is back." Which player might be overshadowed by this brilliant talent remains uncertain.
Aurélien Tchouaméni stands as the sole midfielder to feature in all six matches this season and has essentially secured the central defensive midfield position. Federico Valverde, whom Alonso views as Madrid's equivalent to Steven Gerrard, consistently appears in the starting eleven.
Arda Güler appears to be the most likely candidate to step aside for Bellingham. The continuously developing Turkish creative player has earned positive feedback from Alonso after adding muscle mass during the summer to complement his natural technical ability.