The mercurial midfielder has no obvious role in the manager’s system, and the Spaniard faces a challenge working him into his XI

He’s back. 

Welcome, Jude Bellingham, how Real Madrid (sort of) missed you. The English midfielder was the fulcrum and savior of this team two years ago. Madrid really weren’t very good as a unit. They didn’t have a striker. Karim Benzema was gone. Bellingham was here as a false nine, and saved Los Blancos’ season. It was a tasty narrative: new guy comes in, scores a load of goals, Madrid win a double. 

And then things changed a bit. You probably could have seen it coming. The arrival of Kylian Mbappe shifted the harmony. Bellingham wasn’t getting into the same areas. The balance was gone. Instead, the Englishman – once a Ballon d’Or candidate – became a pure runner who didn’t always look like he wanted to run. 

Under Xabi Alonso, it might have been awkward from day one. Bellingham didn’t quite fit. He was in and out of games at the Club World Cup. The delayed shoulder surgery he underwent in July kind of felt merciful, all said. But now this pseudo-day of reckoning is here. Bellingham has recovered sooner than expected from his operation. And after failing to come off the bench midweek in the Champions League, it looks far more likely now that he will be worked into the side. 

Alonso has made it clear that he has no problem benching the big names, but surely Bellingham is too crucial to fail? Perhaps not. Either way, he will simply have to be integrated. GOAL looks at the manager’s options as he looks to bring Bellingham back into his side full of Galacticos…Â