Jude Bellingham may have given Real Madrid the edge against Manchester City in their Champions League play-off, but his week quickly soured after that high point.
The England midfielder was sent off for dissent during Madrid’s La Liga clash with Osasuna on Saturday, a setback that left him apologizing to teammates for putting them in a difficult position. However, with a second-leg showdown against City looming at the Santiago Bernabeu, Bellingham will have a chance to redeem himself.
Madrid holds a narrow 3-2 advantage after securing victory at the Etihad Stadium last week, and Bellingham’s energy will be crucial in helping Los Blancos reach the last 16.
Acknowledging his mistake, the 21-year-old took to social media to apologize: “Enough said about the misunderstanding, just wanted to apologise again for leaving my team-mates in such a tough position and thank the fans for their support and understanding.”
Despite this latest incident, Bellingham has largely flourished since his arrival from Borussia Dortmund in 2023. His first season was nothing short of a fairytale, with 23 goals in 43 appearances, including a crucial penalty in Madrid’s Champions League quarter-final shootout win over City.
Although initially linked with a move to Manchester City, Bellingham has never looked back since choosing Madrid. “For me, Madrid is the greatest,” he said after signing. “Money is not a thing for me. I play the game purely out of love.”
Bellingham has built a reputation for stepping up when Madrid needs him most. Last season, he netted decisive goals in both Clasico encounters against Barcelona and delivered in key moments against Girona, Madrid’s closest domestic challengers.
In the Champions League, he played a vital role in Madrid’s title-winning run, setting up Vinicius Jr. in the final against Dortmund while also scoring four goals in the group stage.
This season, a more withdrawn role following the arrival of French superstar Kylian Mbappe saw Bellingham struggle for goals early on. After failing to score in his first 12 matches, he has since rediscovered his form, finding the net 10 times in his last 20 games and providing six assists.
His latest goal—a dramatic 92nd-minute winner against City—gave Madrid the upper hand in the tie. Now, with the Bernabeu crowd behind him, Bellingham will look to put his recent red card behind him and guide Madrid past Guardiola’s men once again.
