Footage has emerged online of Jude Bellingham giving advice to Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo following Real Madrid’s disappointing 1-1 draw with Mallorca.
A match that Los Blancos struggled to break their opponents down saw questions asked of how well Mbappe fits into Carlo Ancelotti’s attacking system.
Real Madrid got off to a great start through Rodrygo, who scored in the 13th minute. Mallorca reestablished parity after half-time as Vedat Muriqi thundered in a header off a corner.
Real Madrid hunted relentlessly for a second goal but couldn’t find a breakthrough against Mallorca. In the end, all their efforts were frustrated, further aggravated by a red card to Ferland Mendy in stoppage time.
Bellingham’s frustration with Kylian Mbappe, others
In an interaction caught post-game, Bellingham could be seen speaking to Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr, and Rodrygo. The England international, who put in an outstanding first season at Real Madrid, stated how he was frustrated that none of the three could close the attack.
“You three, we need to finish the attack because the running back… is f***ing hard,” Bellingham told his mates.
“That’s what I’m saying. We have to finish with something,” Mbappe said.
Bellingham repeated this point while stressing that they need to create space and shots instead of losing the ball – something that is an open invitation for defensive pressure on the team.
Mbappe was at the center of the spotlight in the game. The French sensation joined the club after a dragging transfer saga with PSG. He came out all guns blazing by scoring in the UEFA Super Cup win over Atalanta. His La Liga debut, however, did not really turn out as planned. All his efforts went in vain as he was not able to find the net against Mallorca.
Can Mbappe Elevate Madrid’s Attack?
Mbappe was supposed to be the starting gun to fire Real Madrid into an unstoppable force in attack. However, the game with Mallorca exposed some flaws in fitting a new superstar player into the system.
Mbappe couldn’t make good use of his chances although he has been clinical most of the time. He hit the side netting and came close on several occasions but failed to find the back of the net.
Tactical problem for Ancelotti following Kylian Mbappe arrival
Ancelotti will have to get a balance between all of these attacking options— Kylian Mbappe, Vinícius Jr, Rodrygo, and Bellingham. All come with an awful lot of potency. If it all has to click for them at the same time, it will need great detail in tactical planning from Ancelotti.
Ancelotti alluded to that very point in the post-match press conference: “Balance is found when players think the same when they have to win the ball back. We have to all go together”.
For the manager, it will be to see how he can balance attacking firepower with a proper defensive structure. During the Mallorca game, again, Madrid was not well coordinated in transition from attack to defense, allowing the hosts to take advantage of a mistake and score the equalizer.
What’s Next for Real Madrid?
The draw leaves Real Madrid languishing at 6th in La Liga following the first weekend of action, adrift of rivals Barcelona who emerged as 2-1 winners over Valencia.
Two goals by Robert Lewandowski handed Barcelona a comeback win after an early opener by Valencia. If the Los Blancos are going to be able to defend the title, they will need to pick up their game, and fast.
