Arrived at Real Madrid with the status of flagship rookie, Jude Bellingham could occupy an unusual position under the tutelage of Carlo Ancelotti.
Called to honor his contract at Real Madrid before taking control of the Brazilian selection, Carlo Ancelotti is planning for the coming season. It looks like a real challenge for the Italian tactician, tactically. Because its workforce, always well stocked, will nevertheless have to fill a void left in attack after the departure of the legendary Karim Benzema in Saudi Arabia.
Therefore, two options are possible for Real d’Ancelotti: 1. replace Benzema position for position, which would include the recruitment of a world-class center forward, a species that is not currently on the market. 2. Modify the offensive animation by proposing a diagram with two attackers.
Ancelotti has a surprise in store for Bellingham
In fact, Real Madrid have already evolved with only two professional attackers in their recent era. Successfully, often. The 2021-2022 vintage was based on a three-man attack, but it was the versatile Federico Valverde who accompanied Karim Benzema and Vinicius Jr at the forefront. Before Carlo Ancelotti, Zinédine Zidane had got into the habit of offering a 4-4-2 in a diamond pattern with Isco behind the Benzema-Ronaldo tandem, during the great epics in the Champions League. It is in this system that Real evolved in particular during the European coronations of 2017 and 2018. And it is precisely this scheme which would seduce Ancelotti for next season.
According to information from Relevo, the Real Madrid coach would like to set up a 4-4-2 diamond with the Vinicius-Rodrigo tandem in attack. The two Brazilians, accomplices, are considered mature enough to hold Real’s attack. And to support them, it’s Jude Bellingham who could take on the role of number 10. A little surprise if we look at Bellingham’s habits since the start of his career. Despite exceptional technical quality and a great ability to project himself into the area, the English prodigy is considered more of a relay midfielder, when he does not start his actions even lower on the ground.
But we have to believe that the number 5 assigned to Bellingham gave Ancelotti ideas for the summer’s flagship rookie to be assigned this role of axial leader “à la Zidane”. A key position which will not lack alternatives since Brahim Diaz, back from AC Milan or the young Turkish star Arda Güler, recruited from Fenerbahçe, can also occupy this position. Just like the veteran Luka Modric… In short, Ancelotti has all the ingredients to find his new recipe.
