Kylian Mbappe has publicly defended Jude Bellingham after the England midfielder was booed by Real Madrid fans following the team's humiliating 4-0 defeat to Barcelona in El Clasico. Bellingham, who scored 23 goals in his debut season, has failed to find the net in 11 matches this campaign, with Spanish media heavily criticising his performances.
The 21-year-old's struggles have been attributed to a positional change forced by Mbappe's summer arrival. Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has moved Bellingham from an advanced role into a deeper midfield position, placing greater defensive responsibilities on him. Heat maps from the Barcelona defeat showed Bellingham frequently operating on the flank and even deputising at right-back.
Spanish newspaper AS fumed that Bellingham has undergone a '180 degree turn' and is no longer the goal threat he once was. The positional change has prevented him from getting into dangerous attacking positions, contributing to Real Madrid's dismal defeat at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Mbappe, who also struggled against Barcelona, being caught offside multiple times, came to Bellingham's defence. 'Jude is a fantastic player. The team is going through a tough moment, but we have full confidence in him,' Mbappe said. Both players are among the favourites for the Ballon d'Or, alongside Vinicius Junior, with the ceremony taking place in Paris on Monday.
