BARCELONA, Spain: Led by Jude Bellingham playing with a style and self-confidence far beyond his 20 years, a new generation of Real Madrid players has stepped forward at the 14-time European Cup winners.
All three of Madrid’s players who helped produce goals in their 3-2 comeback at Napoli in the Champions League group stage on Tuesday were 25 years old or younger. And they did so with their veteran teammates now providing supporting roles.
Bellingham set up 23-year-old Vinícius Júnior to cancel out Napoli’s opener before the England midfielder made a spectacular solo run to put the visitors ahead in the 34th minute.
After Napoli had pulled level, Madrid’s 25-year-old midfielder Federico Valverde unleashed a rocket of a shot that ricocheted off the bar and Napoli goalkeeper Alex Meret before eventually going in for the 78th-minute winner.
Bellingham had scored several big goals already for Madrid this season, but his overall performance at Napoli’s Stadio Diego Armando Maradona was his best so far.
He started by robbing the ball from Napoli captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo and sliding it to Vinícius for the Brazil winger to slot home the equalizer from an angle. Bellingham topped that by slaloming past two defenders as he dribbled into the area.
Bellingham said that the victory was about decision-making, including when he saw Napoli’s defenders giving him that small bit of space he needed.
“As I was getting closer and closer to the goal I was trying to look for (Vinícius or Rodrygo), and when I saw the gap open I just decided to keep running with it,” Bellingham said. “I am always confident that I can go around (defenders) and find a yard. I managed to do it for that one and found the corner.”
Bellingham, Vinícius and Valverde were accompanied by other younger players. Eduardo Camavinga, a versatile workman in the midfield is only 20; forward Rodrygo is 22; and holding midfielder Aurélien Tchouameni is 23. Éder Militão (25), who is out for several months with a serious leg injury, is Madrid’s best central defender.
The victory at the Italian champions came after a summer when veteran striker Karim Benzema, Madrid's most prolific scorer since Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure five years ago, was lured away to the Saudi Arabian league.
Nor were most of the other pillars of Madrid’s most recent European successes on the field in Napoli. Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois is injured, while Luka Modric, now 38, was again left on the bench by Ancelotti until he went on as a late substitute. The only long-time veterans to start were Toni Kroos and Dani Carvajal.
Ancelotti acknowledged that Modric, who signed for another season this summer with Madrid, was upset about not playing more. Ancelotti had benched him at halftime during a recent 3-1 loss at Atletico Madrid and did not use the former Ballon d’Or winner at all in the following two matches.
“He did what we asked him to do. He went on and showed his experience and gave us control of the game,” Ancelotti said about Modric’s steadying hand in the second half at Napoli. “He can contribute. That is what I ask of a player who is not playing and is a little angry.”
While Vinícius and Valverde have been starters for several seasons now and played key roles in helping Madrid win their most recent Champions League title in 2022, Bellingham’s impact on the team since his arrival this summer has surprised everyone, including his coach.
“I’m surprised he’s only 20 years old because he looks like he’s 30 because of his character and attitude,” Ancelotti said. “He is always focused on the game and knows what he has to do. It’s unusual for a 20-year-old. He has a lot of quality, physical strength and skill.”
Bellingham has scored eight goals in nine games overall so far with Madrid. That includes a Spanish league-leading six goals to help keep Madrid in first place and a late winner to edge Union Berlin 1-0 in their Champions League opener last month.
Compare that to his 14 goals in 42 appearances for Borussia Dortmund in Germany and it is clear that Bellingham has taken his game to a new level in Spain.
Vinícius' goal was only his second of the season after he missed several games with a leg injury. Once he is back to full form and fitness, his alliance with Bellingham promises to be lethal.
“Bellingham linked up well with (Vinícius) and they both have a lot of creativity,” Ancelotti said. "Having both of them positioned on our left flank certainly creates a lot of danger.”
Madrid face Spanish league games against Osasuna and Sevilla before they visit Portuguese side Braga in the Champions League on Oct. 24. Four days after that, Bellingham will get his first taste of a league “classico” at Barcelona.
Bellingham leads youth movement at Real Madrid as Modric takes a diminished role
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Bellingham leads youth movement at Real Madrid as Modric takes a diminished role
- All three of Madrid’s players who helped produce goals in their 3-2 comeback at Napoli in the Champions League group stage on Tuesday were 25 years old or younger
- Bellingham, Vinícius and Valverde were accompanied by other younger players
Barcelona win record 16th Spanish Super Cup title after end-to-end El Clasico in Jeddah
- 60,326 fans witness thrilling El Clasico final at Al-Inma Stadium
- 3 goals in first-half stoppage time mark Saudi Arabia encounter
JEDDAH: To describe the latest edition of El Clasico in Jeddah as a night to remember would be a severe understatement.
Barcelona extended their record at the top of the Spanish Super Cup honors table, claiming a 16th title with a dramatic 3-2 victory over Real Madrid in another unforgettable chapter of football in Saudi Arabia.
The night began with a striking opening ceremony, featuring a light show and holographic projections across the sky. “From Jeddah, We Celebrate You,” read one message, as fans illuminated Al-Inma Stadium in shades of blue, red and white.
Despite the scoreline, the opening half hour was relatively subdued. Barcelona held nearly 80 percent of the ball, but clear chances were limited. A “Messi” chant by Barcelona fans in the 10th minute was one of the few moments to break the tension.
It was a Raphinha miss that ended up igniting the proceedings. Lamine Yamal threaded a curling through-ball in the 34th minute that found the Brazilian one-on-one with Thibaut Courtois, only for his effort to be dragged wide of the post.
Only seconds later did Barcelona capitalize. Fermin Lopez’s press won the ball back in Real Madrid’s half, laying it off to Raphinha, who took a few touches before striking past Courtois through Aurelien Tchouameni’s legs to open the scoring.
Few expected an immediate response, but Vinicius Jr. delivered one. Collecting the ball on the edge of Barcelona’s half, the Brazilian carried it over 60 meters toward goal before evading Jules Kounde and Pau Cubarsi to finish past Joan Garcia in the second minute of first-half stoppage time.
Barcelona struck back instantly. Pedri, spotting Robert Lewandowski’s movement between the Real Madrid center-backs, laid off a through-ball to release him with perfect timing as the Polish striker delicately lobbed it past Courtois to restore the Blaugrana’s lead.
The frantic first half, however, did not end there. In the final moments of stoppage time, Rodrygo’s corner was met by Dean Huijsen, whose header crashed off the crossbar. Amid the scramble for the rebound, Gonzalo Garcia reacted quickest to fire in the goal and bring Los Merengues back on level terms.
The second half unfolded at a more controlled pace, with both sides mindful of the spaces left exposed earlier. Vinicius remained Real Madrid’s most dangerous outlet — cutting in from the left on multiple occasions — while Yamal and Raphinha continued to torment the opposition in the channels.
The most anticipated player of the night was yet to enter the pitch. As Kylian Mbappe took to the sidelines to warm up, the crowd roared its appreciation.
The din did not die down, as a controversial tackle by Raul Asencio on Pedri on the counter right after, led to a loud response from fans and players, before the referee settled on a yellow.
Despite four goals scored, the goalkeepers dominated the proceedings, with Courtois and Garcia combining for 11 saves on the night.
Ultimately, one of them was beaten. As Raphinha aimed for a shot outside the box in the 73rd minute, he slipped as he struck the ball, only for his shot to deflect off Asencio, wrong-footing Courtois and finding the net for what proved to be the winner.
Xabi Alonso introduced Mbappe soon after, but there was only so much the Frenchman could do with little preparation and less than 15 minutes remaining. Real Madrid pressed late, only to be repeatedly denied by Garcia.
Drama returned in stoppage time when Frenkie de Jong was sent off following a heavy challenge on Mbappe, leaving Barcelona to defend with 10 men. It was now or never for Los Blancos.
In the fifth minute of stoppage time, they threw numbers forward, causing confusion following a low cross by Arda Guler, but Alvaro Carreras’ effort went straight to the hands of Garcia.
One final chance followed. Mbappe received the ball from a corner, lifting it toward Asencio on the edge of the 5.5-meter box for a clear header at goal.
Garcia, however, would rise once more to make his seventh and final save of the match, sealing victory for Barcelona and confirming their record-extending 16th Spanish Super Cup title.
