Carlo Ancelotti has admitted Real Madrid are sweating over the fitness of midfielder Jude Bellingham after he made a late stop in their Super Cup semi-final win over Mallorca.
In the final throes of Thursday’s 3-0 win, Bellingham showed real discomfort after appearing to suffer a muscle injury, but that didn’t stop him from getting involved in a brawl on the pitch after the game.
Bellingham’s injury came 15 minutes after Federico Valverde hobbled off and at the end of a half in which substitute center back Aurelien Tchouameni left after taking a blow to the head.
Madrid will face Clasico rivals Barcelona in the Super Cup final on Sunday. When asked whether the injured trio were fit enough to play, Ancelotti initially tried to play down concerns about their condition.
“I saw Tchouameni doing well on the bench,” said the Italian. “The doctor preferred to take it off because it was a blow to the head.”
“Bellingham and Valverde… overloads. We didn’t expect the heat and I think it affected the rhythm of the game.”
However, in a later interview with MovistarAncelotti revealed that both Bellingham and Valverde had complained of muscle strains.
“[Valverde] “Like Bellingham, he had a strained adductor,” the coach revealed. “It was an unexpectedly hot game, it was very hot … and it could have happened to either of them.”