Real Madrid’s Resilience: Bellingham Responds to Criticism with Stellar Performance

The past few weeks have been tumultuous for Real Madrid following the departure of Xabi Alonso. The squad faced elimination from the Copa del Rey in Alvaro Arbeloa’s inaugural match as head coach, and the players were met with boos from the home crowd during a straightforward 2-0 victory over Levante.

However, the narrative shifted dramatically on Tuesday as the Spanish giants showcased their prowess against Monaco. Kylian Mbappe’s first-half brace established a commanding lead, with goals from Franco Mastantuono and Vinicius Junior, alongside an own goal by Thilo Kehrer. Though Jordan Teze scored for the visitors, Jude Bellingham’s strike in the 80th minute capped a resounding 6-1 victory.

While a segment of supporters and media figures have critiqued the team’s performance this season, Spanish YouTuber AuronPlay intensified the scrutiny by accusing Bellingham of excessive drinking and frequenting nightclubs. He remarked, “There’s not a single nightclub in Spain that Jude Bellingham has not visited. He loves alcohol too much. Have you seen him in training? He’s sweating all of the rum. He loves partying too much.”

Despite these claims, there is little evidence to substantiate AuronPlay’s assertions about the former Borussia Dortmund star’s lifestyle. Bellingham was indeed spotted in Ibiza during the summer, enjoying his time off, but this does not confirm any allegations of excessive drinking.

On Wednesday, Bellingham seized the opportunity to respond to his critics by scoring Madrid’s sixth goal and celebrating with a playful gesture that mimicked drinking, which he later revealed was aimed at detractors. In an interview with TNT Sports, he stated, “It feels like anyone now can get a camera, say what they want, and the whole world just believes them with no evidence. I feel there’s two ways you can take it. You can cry about it and moan, or you can just roll with it and enjoy it.”

He continued, “[The gesture] was a bit of a joke back to the fans and to the people who say whatever they want. For me, I know the truth and I know what really goes on in my personal life. I know what I give to the game, what I give in the game and what I try to give to the team. All the outside noise doesn’t really matter, but it’s nice to have a little joke. I’ve always said the fans pay their money, work all week, and save up to come to Real Madrid games to support us, so they’re entitled to say what they want. This was the kind of performance we have to deliver more for our fans.”

Despite the recent turbulence, Madrid now finds itself in a strong position in the Champions League following Tuesday’s victory. Arbeloa’s side has climbed to second in the league phase table, aiming for a top-eight finish to avoid an additional round of fixtures. Their final league phase match is scheduled for next week against Benfica.

The La Liga title race remains competitive, as Madrid trails leaders Barcelona by just one point. A victory against Villarreal on Saturday could see them take over the top spot, ahead of Hansi Flick’s side hosting Real Oviedo on Sunday.