The foul was actually quite clever, possessing that niggly quality that nestles itself underneath the skin of opponents. Jude Bellingham appears to have a canny knack for that prickliness.
Phil Foden had been advancing diagonally off the right wing and briefly threatening the goal of Thibaut Courtois. Bellingham didn’t much fancy the prospect of Foden enjoying anymore room so made sure to bundle him over by any means necessary. While definitely a foul, not really enough for a booking.
Istvan Kovacs knew it. Easy decision. Off he blew, Manchester City ball. With Real Madrid leading 1-0 at this point, Bellingham started motioning towards the official. Half a gesture had emerged before he stopped himself.
Probably wise to leave the back chat alone – maybe a Romanian referee is fully aware and clear on the interpretations of f*** you and f*** off. He certainly should be after it’s dominated the television and radio stations over here, any Englishman implored to offer his thoughts. Any Englishman but Bellingham.
Booked for another foul on Foden later in the first half, Bellingham again appeared a bit cheesed off but, given what’s occurred over the past few days and the very public discourse on what he screamed at Jose Luis Munuera Montero in Real’s draw with Osasuna, exercised restraint. Which is against his better nature.
Madrid – in fact, the whole of Spain – has been all about the 21-year-old from Stourbridge since the weekend. Real’s outcry at officiating, that Montero has received death threats, varying opinions on the justification for the length of Bellingham’s subsequent two-match ban, delivered hours before this second leg. Ex-City right back Pablo Maffeo, now at Mallorca, branded him fake; Barcelona coach Hansi Flick went with ‘disrespectful’.
Jude Bellingham showed his tenacious side as Real Madrid beat Man City 3-1 at the Bernabeu
Bellingham was booked but he appears to have that niggly quality that unsettles opponents
The City clash came hot on the heels of Bellingham’s controversial sending off against Osasuna when he was dismissed for allegedly shouting ‘f*** you’ towards the referee
Everyone has their say over here and that his father, Mark, had a clear run at making the entrance to the private family enclosure outside before kick-off without being accosted by a single fan came as some surprise.
A surprise because of the parents’ high profile and that his son is the hero of the Santiago Bernabeu, his name the last read out from Carlo Ancelotti’s team sheet and afforded the loudest cheer from those inside in response to the news earlier in the day. A totting up of yellow cards has now earned him a European suspension, too.
Ostensibly operating left of midfield, Bellingham was everywhere. Not because he had the bit between his teeth, not because he had some sort of point to prove, but because that is how he plays in this Real team.
The simple things done well, like the through ball for Vinicius Junior in the build-up to the second goal, eventually slotted past Ederson by Kylian Mbappe.
An easy pass for someone of Bellingham’s ability yet one that allowed those in front of him to flourish. He might love the limelight but he does do the unselfish stuff just as well as anything else when motivated.
And it is easy to forget his tender age, demanding possession all over the park. Only ever loaning out the ball to someone else because he wants it back.
Using his frame to act as a weapon from Real corners, easily beating markers at the near post. Or muscling through challenges in his own third to thwart counter presses.
The purpose and definitiveness of his shooting drills 25 minutes before Kovacs whistled for this to begin suggested that if a chance arose, Bellingham was ready to plunder.
Bellingham’s all-round game and attitude, even during the warm-ups, was fascinating to watch
Bellingham’s ability to do unselfish stuff just as well as anything else is another shining quality
Others were trying new and inventive things during that spell of practice, poor reserve goalkeeper Andriy Lunin a statue, yet he struck the same ball – straight foot, laces facing down – each and every time.
Last week it was the defensive aspect of his display that impressed and the 21 defensive actions (pressures, tackles, interceptions, ball recoveries, aerial duels) in Real’s mid-block stood out as the most in what was a team unit nullifying City on the ball.
There was very little of that required in the second leg, Real playing at their own pace – Bellingham able to clip dinky 40-yard balls across the pitch unchecked – and just running the clock down before their opponents offered up enough space to breach.
Bellingham can do all this in an England shirt if Thomas Tuchel gets hold of him in a way his predecessor couldn’t. Real’s Bellingham grafts and it is to his and his team’s benefit.
