Ancelotti, the genuine team leader, justifies Bellingham's transformation
Despite not finding the back of the net yet this season, Englishman Jude Bellingham's second year with Real Madrid is underway, and coach Carlo Ancelotti is still singing his praises ahead of the Champions League match against his former team Borussia Dortmund.
Ahead of the Tuesday clash (9pm/Prime Video and live text updates on ntv.de), Bellingham is yet to score his first goal of the season, but Ancelotti is pleased with the midfielder's efforts.
"He's been a fantastic worker, putting in the effort, battling hard, and giving it his all," Ancelotti said of Bellingham, who headed to Madrid from BVB the previous summer. His impressive goal-scoring capabilities from his debut season saw him net eight times in his first nine competitive games for Real, but the Englishman has yet to find the back of the net this campaign.
Ancelotti's perspective
Ancelotti does not believe the number of goals Bellingham scored last season should be the benchmark for his performance.
"Last year's goal tally was a surprise to everyone, so we can't rely on that to evaluate his performance," the Italian coach said. "What really matters is his work ethic and contribution to the team."
Ancelotti has more faith in the attacking trio of Rodrygo, Kylian Mbappe, and Vinicius Junior to deliver the offensive action and points.
"These players have so much talent that we always score and earn points," Ancelotti said. As such, he will be looking to focus on improving the defense in the coming days.
"Our main focus this season is on defense, and that's where our focus is," the 65-year-old said. "We are facing a major challenge against BVB. They're a tough opponent, and Bellingham will have to give it his all against his former team."
Ancelotti mentioned that Jude Bellingham, despite not scoring this season, has been demonstrating his skills in Spanish football by working hard and battling tirelessly, showing his dedication to Real Madrid. Furthermore, Ancelotti acknowledged that while Bellingham's goal-scoring abilities in his debut season were impressive, they should not be the only measure of his performance, and instead, he should be evaluated based on his work ethic and team contributions.
