Real Madrid bemused by England’s Jude Bellingham conduct

Madrid, Spain – Real Madrid return to La Liga action this weekend still puzzled and irritated by the way England handled Jude Bellingham during the international window, club sources have indicated.

Bellingham, who tore his hamstring in early February, completed a six-week rehabilitation and featured briefly in the Madrid derby just before the break. With Fede Valverde suspended for Saturday’s visit to Mallorca, the 20-year-old midfielder had been pencilled in as a candidate to reclaim a starting berth for the first time since his injury.

Yet Los Blancos’ medical and coaching staff now believe that opportunity has been compromised. Although England called Bellingham up, he never left the bench in either of the national team’s two fixtures. Real Madrid officials, who were reluctant to release him in the first place, had hoped competitive minutes would accelerate his return to peak condition. Instead, Bellingham spent the fortnight training with the Three Lions while playing no part in the games, leaving him short of match rhythm.

Spanish daily Marca reports that Madrid consider the player “cold” and are unlikely to risk him from the opening whistle at Son Moix. Had they been consulted, the club would have preferred Bellingham to remain at the Valdebebas training complex, where coaches could have tailored a personalised programme designed to sharpen his readiness for the decisive stretch of the season, beginning with next week’s Champions League quarter-final against Bayern Munich.

With Valverde unavailable, Carlo Ancelotti is expected to turn to Eduardo Camavinga or academy prodigy Franco Mastantuono to fill the void in midfield, while Bellingham is set to be introduced from the bench if required.

The episode has intensified the perennial tug-of-war between clubs and national associations over player welfare, and Madrid will hope the matter does not resurface later in the campaign as they chase silverware on multiple fronts.