Jude Bellingham was branded a “shadow of the player” he was last season after his quiet display in Barcelona’s routing of Real Madrid in El Clasico.
The England international was criticised in the Spanish press after his quiet performance in Madrid’s 4-0 loss to Barcelona on Saturday at Santiago Bernabeu.
Spanish publication Marca said it was a “joke in bad taste” that manager Carlo Ancelotti deployed the 21-year-old on the right, and at times in a more defensive role, against Barca.
They claim Bellingham, who played most of last season as an attacking midfielder, should not play in this position again.
Bellingham
Journalist Juan Ignacio Garcia-Ochoa wrote in Marca: “Bellingham is a shadow of the player who burst onto the scene last season at The Bernabeu.
“And the fault lies not with him, but with the way he is being managed.
“Every day he plays in a position that is not his and the boy, although he gives his all, does not shine.
“Playing close to the right flank, playing as a full-back for many minutes, is a joke in bad taste that [Carlo] Ancelotti must correct immediately.
“The fact that a player who last year scored almost twenty goals has not scored any when we are almost in November is something that deserves serious analysis.”
Bellingham is still searching for his first Madrid goal of the season, but he does have three assists to his name.
He started last term in red-hot form, scoring multiple match-winning goals and getting on the scoresheet 23 times in total.
This campaign is proving to be a bit more difficult, although a muscle injury in August and September will not have helped his cause.
The former Borussia Dortmund star will hope to find some form as soon as possible.
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Bellingham’s Madrid side – who are now six points adrift of top of the table Barcelona in La Liga – will hope to bounce back from this El Clasico humiliation when they travel to Valencia next Saturday.
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