Jude Bellingham Sees Beyond Just Scoring Goals
The Real Madrid midfielder emphasized that his role goes "beyond finding the back of the net," acknowledging that his position within the team has shifted in recent weeks. He feels it's his responsibility to return to the form he showed in the first half of the season.
During his first press conference since joining Real Madrid, ahead of the quarter-final return leg against Manchester City, the English midfielder joked, "I'm more nervous about this than the match itself. These are the kind of games I came to Madrid for – really excited for it. Can't wait for kick-off. Hopefully, we'll clinch the win; that's what matters most to me, everything else comes second. If I can contribute, that would be fantastic. Making a positive impact on the game is key. The main goal is to progress to the next round."
Bellingham has scored twenty goals and provided ten assists this season, but he's been below his usual level in recent weeks, attributing it to an injury he sustained against Girona.
"The first part of the season was great. My rhythm was disrupted by the injury against Girona, but I've finally overcome that, put the pain behind me. I scored a good goal and then got suspended, but I take responsibility for my actions. My role has shifted in recent weeks; I've been doing more team-oriented work. It's my challenge to get back to where I was before."
"What gives me anxiety is not scoring and not winning. My role goes beyond just scoring goals. Contributing in various ways to the team is important to me. Of course, I enjoy scoring goals, especially when you're in that groove. Now that I'm here, I want to take on that responsibility of scoring goals. I've got 20 now, and hopefully, I can add a few more before the season ends," he added.
Reflecting on last year's result when City defeated Madrid 4-0 and progressed to the Champions League final, Bellingham said they've discussed it but emphasized that it's in the past.
"People talk a lot. They've just won a treble, that's the impression from the outside. I don't bet, I don't know the odds, but what I do know is that we are Real Madrid, we have great players. The rest is external noise. This is a new game; we're not starting 4-0 down. We need to be brave. We've talked about it, but we've moved on. If you focus on one, there are another ten. It doesn't make sense to single them out. We need to work as a team. We have to play our game and remember who we are," he emphasized.
Bellingham credited Ancelotti for his development this season, stating that the coach has played a crucial role in his early-season success.
"I think so, it's fair to say. A coach's belief is crucial for you to believe you can be better. He's a great person who makes you feel very comfortable and has worked with many great names and legends. It's thanks to him that I've had this start to the season."