Jude Bellingham set to play for Real Madrid against Atlético Madrid – Álvaro Arbeloa
Real Madrid manager Álvaro Arbeloa has confirmed that Jude Bellingham is fit and ready for the upcoming derby against Atlético Madrid on Sunday, stating that he has no concerns regarding the midfielder’s early selection for England duty.
Bellingham has been included by Thomas Tuchel in England’s roster for matches against Uruguay and Japan, even though his last appearance for Madrid was on February 1, when he sustained a hamstring injury.
The midfielder traveled with the Madrid squad earlier this week for their Champions League round of 16 victory over Manchester City but did not participate in the match. During a news conference on Saturday, Arbeloa affirmed that Bellingham is now prepared to play in LaLiga.
“He’s available, and he’ll be in the squad tomorrow,” Arbeloa stated. “We’ll see if he plays. I think so. I’m eager to see him on the pitch. He’s a smart player, and he understands what to do at every moment. I’m pleased that he’ll be available and ready to assist us tomorrow.”
Arbeloa mentioned that forward Kylian Mbappé is now “100%” fit after returning from a knee sprain as a substitute against City, and expressed his satisfaction for both players to join their national teams this month.
“I mentioned that the day [Mbappé] returned, he’d be at 100%,” Arbeloa noted. “We observed that in Manchester, with the runs he made. He demonstrated that he’s in good shape. I have complete confidence… He’s at 100%.”
Mbappé is among the players selected by France coach Didier Deschamps to face Brazil and Colombia during the international break.
“I think it’s excellent,” Arbeloa responded when asked if he believed that might be premature. “He’s available, and he’s played minutes for us. So there’s no issue with him going away with his country… With players like Bellingham and Mbappé, you can’t expect them not to be called up by their national teams. The World Cup is in a few months. I fully understand the situation.”
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Madrid faced a significant 5-2 loss to Atlético in their earlier encounter this LaLiga season, but the team’s performance has improved in recent weeks under Arbeloa, who acknowledged the need to adjust his tactics to incorporate Mbappé and Bellingham.
“We’ll make some modifications,” the coach said. “Naturally, it’s not the same playing with Brahim [Diaz] as it is with Mbappé, or with Jude or Thiago [Pitarch]… But they have been elite players for a long time, and they understand what it means to contribute to the team.”
Arbeloa indicated that there is “no timeline” for Thibaut Courtois’ return, who suffered a muscular injury against City, and commended defender Antonio Rüdiger, whose contract is set to expire this summer.
“I prefer not to delve into those matters,” Arbeloa remarked when asked about a new contract for the veteran defender. “I respect the club and the player, and they need to come to an agreement. However, I would create a statue of Rüdiger and place it in my garden… I have nothing but positive things to say about him.”
