Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has lauded Jude Bellingham for his strong character and courage after the English midfielder had a heated exchange with teammate Vinicius Junior during their 2-1 victory over Celta Vigo.
The incident, which occurred towards the end of the first half, saw Bellingham visibly upset with Vinicius for not passing the ball to him in what seemed like a sure goal-scoring opportunity.
At the time, Real Madrid was leading 1-0, and Vinicius chose to go for goal himself rather than pass to Bellingham, much to the midfielder’s frustration. Bellingham was seen venting his anger towards Vinicius after the Brazilian winger’s unsuccessful attempt.
Despite the brief confrontation, Vinicius later redeemed himself by scoring the winning goal in the second half. He latched onto a brilliant pass from Luka Modric, securing the decisive goal and ultimately sealing the victory for Madrid.
During his post-match press conference, Ancelotti was questioned about the clash between Bellingham and Vinicius. While the manager admitted he had not seen the specific incident, he expressed his admiration for Bellingham’s response, praising the young star’s courage and assertiveness.
Ancelotti commented, “I haven’t seen that play you’re talking about. But if it has happened, it means that [Bellingham] has balls, character, and it seems good to me.”
The Italian coach emphasized that there was no lingering tension between the two players, noting that they were seen talking and laughing after the match. “Honestly, I didn’t realize the play [had happened], I’ll watch it.
But if he has reacted… let’s be calm, after the game they were talking, laughing. They have no problems,” Ancelotti added, downplaying any potential conflict.
Reflecting on the game itself, Ancelotti acknowledged that it was a challenging match for Real Madrid, with Celta Vigo putting up a strong fight and creating several opportunities to score.
Despite some defensive lapses from Madrid, which could have allowed Celta to equalize, Ancelotti praised his team for their resilience and ability to compete until the very end.
“The merit we have is that we always compete well, until the end. We could have played better, yes, but the group was committed and knew how to suffer, because Celta also competed well, with intensity,” Ancelotti remarked.
He went on to highlight Luka Modric’s crucial role in the match, particularly the assist that led to Vinicius’ goal. “We took three important points thanks to a fantastic pass from Modric [to Vinicius].
It’s something normal for him, because of his enormous quality. Luka always contributes, whether he is a starter or coming off the bench. He has such great quality, that it always adds up,” the manager said, praising the Croatian playmaker’s impact.
Real Madrid now looks ahead to their next La Liga fixture, a highly anticipated El Clasico clash against their arch-rivals Barcelona. The match promises to be another exciting test for Ancelotti’s side as they continue their quest for domestic success.