No luck: Bellingham explains the winning goal - and takes a swipe at Barca
Jude Bellingham had to wait a long time for his first goal of the season, but now things seem to be going well for the Englishman: He contributed an assist and a goal in the Clasico victory against Barcelona. Xabi Alonso is also delighted.
Two goals in the last two games: Jude Bellingham is really making an impact this season. IMAGO/Pressinphoto
Jude Bellingham couldn't resist a quick jab at Lamine Yamal . After the Barca youngster's comments in the run-up to the Clasico caused a stir , Bellingham not only posted several pictures of himself in a celebratory pose after the 90 minutes at the Santiago Bernabeu, but also added the small but poignant text: "Talk is cheap. Hala Madrid siempre!"
The second part probably needs no translation; with the first, Bellingham loosely translated: Words are just smoke and mirrors. As before every Clasico, there were, of course, plenty of words on both sides in recent days – not just from Lamine Yamal. But on Sunday afternoon, it was Bellingham, in particular, who followed up with action.
The 22-year-old set up Kylian Mbappé's temporary 1-0 lead with a perfect through ball, and he scored the 2-1 himself shortly before half-time. Bellingham, in center-forward style, was in exactly the right place at the right time and only had to push Eder Militao 's header from the far post into the middle over the line.
Bellingham's perfect positioning"People always say I was lucky," the Englishman later said of his goal, which turned out to be the winning goal. "But for me, it's about my understanding of the game and knowing where the ball will go. Positioning is extremely important. I'm here to score goals like that."
Bellingham had already demonstrated his instinct against Juve during the week, neatly tapping in a shot from Vinicius Junior that had hit the post . It was also the winner – and his first goal of the season. Relief after a long wait .
Special praise from Real Madrid coach Xabi AlonsoThe Clasico also marked his first taste of success in La Liga, after missing the start of the season with a shoulder injury and then struggling to find his stride. He actually took a break during the last international break and was not included in the England squad. That seems to have done him some good.
"He's had three very good games now," praised Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso. "We knew he would need some time to get going. But he's exceeded our expectations after the international break. With Jude, it's a lot about feeling and communication."
In this regard, things seem to be going well at the moment, which has given the Royal a five-point lead at the top of the domestic league table . "Last season, we played poorly in the big games," said Bellingham. Sunday's victory is now for "everyone": the players, the staff, the fans.
In the end, they got the full Clasico treatment, including a red card in the closing stages and some riots. But they also got three points, or at least the Real fans did. And Xabi Alonso knows: In this game, "it's not just about the three points." It's about prestige, it's about making a statement. Of course, it's still October, the Real Madrid head coach added, and thus early in the season. "But we wanted to get a good feeling, and we achieved that. We still need a lot of what we saw today." And a lot more from that Bellingham.
