Borussia Dortmund players happy Jude Bellingham left club; 3 main factors disturbed squad before Real Madrid transfer - Reports
Borussia Dortmund players were reportedly happy to see Jude Bellingham leave this summer on a €103 million transfer to Real Madrid.
According to German outlet SportBILD (h/t BVBBuzz), Dortmund players reckoned Bellingham wanted to be the center of attention. He apparently waited for his teammates to finish applauding the fans after games so that he could do it alone.
Secondly, Bellingham's teammates believed he was too harsh on them in training sessions and at half-time interviews. Thirdly, the report said that despite being made the club's third captain last summer, the Englishman did not show any leadership qualities and was often quite moody.
The English superstar spent three seasons at the Westfalenstadion, registering 24 goals and 25 assists in 132 games across competitions. He also became a full England international during that time and now has 24 caps for his country.
Bellingham, 20, is set to be Carlo Ancelotti's main man in midfield this season after penning a six-year contract this summer. He played the full 90 minutes in the No. 10 role and scored on his debut in his team's La Liga opener against Athletic Bilbao.
Dortmund, meanwhile, have signed Felix Nmecha from VfL Wolfsburg (€30 million) and Marcel Sabitzer from Bayern Munich (€19 million) to restore depth in midfield. Apart from Bellingham, the Black and Yellow saw Mahmoud Dahoud leave as a free agent to join Brighton & Hove Albion this summer.
Carlo Ancelotti lavished praise on Jude Bellingham after Real Madrid beat Athletic Bilbao
Los Blancos manager Carlo Ancelotti was full of praise for Jude Bellingham after his role in Real Madrid's win against Athletic Club.
Bellingham attempted a first-time shot from a David Alaba corner, and his scuffed volley had enough on it to beat Unai Simon. That put his team 2-0 up in the 36th minute - a lead they did not surrender - on the season's opening weekend.
Ancelotti lauded the former Birmingham City player, via the club's official website (h/t MadridUniversal):
"He’s [Bellingham] outstanding. He has plenty of personality and has adapted very quickly to the team’s system. It seems like he’s been with us for a long time and he’s a very talented player."
In the absence of a world-class No. 9 after Karim Benzema's exit, the Italian tactician played a diamond formation in midfield with Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo Goes starting in attack.
It could be a system Real Madrid fans could see more of this season if they fail to sign Kylian Mbappe from Paris Saint-Germain.