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Jude Bellingham of Real Madrid looks on in the UEFA Champions League group game against Braga at the Municipal Stadium in Braga, Portugal, October 24, 2023. /CFP
Jude Bellingham of Real Madrid looks on in the UEFA Champions League group game against Braga at the Municipal Stadium in Braga, Portugal, October 24, 2023. /CFP
Real Madrid will visit Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys to play Barcelona in the first El Clasico of the 2023-24 season on Saturday. As the biggest and the most successful signing of the club in summer, Jude Bellingham feels “excited,” but not nervous at all about the coming blockbuster game.
“I’m really excited,” Bellingham told RTVE. “… I’ve played a lot of high-pressure games. Maybe not one of this magnitude. I can’t wait to see what the atmosphere will be like… If you can’t get motivated for a game like this, where else would you rather be as a football player?”
In his 12 appearances for Real so far this season, Bellingham scored 11 goals and made three assists, multiple of which were difference-makers that brought his side to victory in close contests.
Bellingham was substituted in the 89th minute during their 2-1 win over Braga in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday because of discomfort. Some worried that he may not play against Barca, but the 20-year-old English star said he is ready to appear on the field at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys.
Jude Bellingham (R) of Real Madrid dribbles in the UEFA Champions League group game against Braga at the Municipal Stadium in Braga, Portugal, October 24, 2023. /CFP
Jude Bellingham (R) of Real Madrid dribbles in the UEFA Champions League group game against Braga at the Municipal Stadium in Braga, Portugal, October 24, 2023. /CFP
“I’m ready,” Bellingham said. “I had a little tweak in the last game in the Champions League but I’m feeling good and hopefully I’ll be out there and hopefully we get a good result… I just had a bit of fatigue, I’ve played a lot of games so far this season already.”
So far, Real are 8-1-1 and second on the La Liga standings table, one point above the reigning champions Barca that remain undefeated but with three draws. Girona lead the league after playing one more game than both.
“Madrid have changed from last season, they have a different system after the arrival of Bellingham, who plays with a lot of freedom,” Barca’s manager Xavi Hernandez said. “They have two forwards in Vinicius and Rodrygo who also have more freedom. They great at losing their markers. We have to be switched on to that. Bellingham and [Federico] Valverde get forward… Madrid are a great side. They have a lot of strengths which we will have to try and minimize.”
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