Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has given a strong indication that Jude Bellingham will be fit to start Sunday's Spanish Super Cup final against arch-rivals Barcelona.
Bellingham gave Madrid the go-ahead goal against Mallorca in a 3-0 semi-final win in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, but appeared to be struggling with a muscle injury late in the game.
The England midfielder looked uncomfortable, fueling speculation that he may lose heavyweights clash with Barcelona – they beat Athletic Club 2-0 in their semi-final thanks to goals from Gavi and Lamine Yamal – but Ancelotti's words in his pre-match press conference suggest the fans have nothing to lose worried.
“He has recovered well, he finished the game with a little strain,” Ancelotti thought. “He is having a great run and feels good. He is a player who has made the difference for us in recent games.”
The Italian went on to discuss the challenge of trying to win an El Clasico clash against Barcelona – something his team failed to do earlier this season. Indeed, Madrid were humiliated in their fixture in October, losing 4-0 in front of a shocked Santiago Bernabeu faithful.
“In these games, quality becomes more important than the balance of the team, individual moments weigh more than the collective display,” Ancelotti said. “There is a big individual on the pitch that can be more important than the collective, especially when it comes to defending. Balance and teamwork will be very important tomorrow though – if you defend well, you have a better chance of won the match.”
Regarding the importance of winning the Spanish Super Cup, the five-time European Cup winner added that “whenever we've won, we've continued to have a great season, while whenever we've lost it, we've usually not won. League or to Champions League. It's a competition that brings increased motivation and puts me on a strong path to continue with the rest of the season.”