Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has moved to quash any speculation about Jude Bellingham‘s role changing following the arrival of Kylian Mbappe.
The Italian tactician has insisted that the 21-year-old English midfielder will continue to be a key player for the Spanish giants.
Bellingham enjoyed a stellar debut season at Real Madrid, scoring 23 goals and helping the club win La Liga and the Champions League.
His impressive performances have led to speculation about a potential positional shift to accommodate Mbappe. However, Ancelotti has dismissed these claims, emphasizing Bellingham’s importance to the team.
“Nothing changes for him. Nothing changes,” Ancelotti said.
“The first season, he surprised me a lot because he showed fantastic quality and maturity. The next season will not be different. He is going to be one of the best players that we have, supporting the team with his quality.”
The former Chelsea manager also defended Bellingham following criticism of his performances at Euro 2024, where England reached the final. “This is an opinion, but Bellingham played really well at the Euros,” Ancelotti added.
“England played really well; they reached the final and were close to winning it. The most important players are used to playing every three days, and they manage that really well and arrive at the end of the season without any problems.”
As Real Madrid prepare for the new season, Ancelotti has also offered his thoughts on Chelsea’s recent managerial changes and the club’s spending spree. The Italian urged patience for the Blues’ new manager, Enzo Maresca while ruling out a potential return for former Real Madrid goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.
“They invested a lot. They have a good squad, good players, young. They have a young manager. The owners need to be a little bit patient to gain experience and grow. But the signings they have made are really good,” Ancelotti said.
On the possibility of re-signing Kepa Arrizabalaga, who spent last season on loan at Santiago Bernabeu, Ancelotti remarked: “We love him. We love him, but in that position, we are covered.”
