Jude Bellingham expressed his frustration to Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, and Rodrygo about the “f*cking tiring” task of tracking back during Real Madrid’s draw against Mallorca.
Los Blancos began their defence of the La Liga title with a disappointing start on the opening weekend, as they were unexpectedly held to a draw on the road.
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Brazilian forward Rodrygo had given them an early lead in the 13th minute, but Carlo Ancelotti’s team was pulled back after the break.
At halftime, Madrid’s star players were visibly frustrated, with England international Bellingham captured on camera urging his teammates to improve their finishing, as the midfielders were getting exhausted from having to repeatedly track back into their own half.
Directing his remarks to Mbappe, Vini Jr, and Rodrygo, he said: “You three need to finish, because the running back, it’s f*cking tiring.”
Bellingham: “You three, we need to finish the attack, because the running back… is f*cking hard.”
Mbappé: “That’s what I’m saying. We have to finish with something.”
Bellingham: “Yeah, even… create a yard and [shoot].” pic.twitter.com/Js6o6IcNMy
— TC (@totalcristiano) August 18, 2024
Mbappe replied: “That’s what I’m saying, you have to finish with something!”
Despite this exchange, Mbappe, who was making his La Liga debut, was among those who failed to score.
Ancelotti has acknowledged that he is still figuring out how to maximize the potential of his formidable attacking lineup.
Bellingham, who scored 23 goals for Los Blancos last season, is expected to contribute to the team’s goal tally again this season.
Real Madrid will be looking to perform better as a team when they return to the Santiago Bernabeu for a match against Real Valladolid next Sunday.
