Real Madrid News
Ancelotti has promised Real Madrid midfielder he will get more minutes next season
According to a report from AS, Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has promised Dani Ceballos that he will get more minutes in the upcoming campaign.
Ceballos was close to leaving Real Madrid this summer with his contract expiring on June 30. However, the 26-year-old opted to renew his deal and sign a new four-year contract with Los Blancos, committing his future until 2027.
One of the major concerns for the midfielder before signing a new contract was his role in the team. Ceballos had found regular game-time hard to come by in the last two seasons with the Merengues.
Even though he played in more than 40 games this past campaign, only 19 of them were starts in La Liga. He was behind Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, Federico Valverde, and Eduardo Camavinga in the pecking order at the club.
Now, big-money signing Jude Bellingham is also likely to slot in ahead of Ceballos, so concerns about his game-time are not unfounded. However, Ancelotti is understood to have promised him more minutes ahead of the upcoming campaign.
Given Kroos and Modric’s age, there is a chance that they will be used more judiciously by the manager, which should pave the way for Ceballos to gain more prominence in the team.
However, at the same time, the Spanish international’s entourage is not ruling out a loan exit from Real Madrid for the 2023/24 season. After all, Ceballos’ aim is to make it to the Spanish national team for the UEFA Euro 2024.
A spell away on loan before returning next year, when both Kroos and Modric might have potentially moved on, would certainly guarantee an increased role in the team for Ceballos.
Real Madrid News
Bellingham on his special assist in Girona 0-3 Real Madrid: “Been watching Luka every day”
Real Madrid usurped the top spot in the La Liga standings from arch-rivals FC Barcelona as they defeated Girona 3-0 away at Estadi Montilivi.
It was a fine performance from Carlo Ancelotti’s men against Michel’s side, with the returning Jude Bellingham leading the way for his team.
After being benched against Las Palmas in midweek, the England international returned to the starting XI today and turned in yet another Man of the Match display for Real Madrid.
It all started with Joselu opening the scoring just 15 minutes into the game, with Bellingham assisting the goal with a special, outside-of-the-boot pass from the left side, bringing back memories of Luka Modric doing something similar a few years ago.
Talking about that special pass, Bellingham said: “I’ve been watching Luka every day for months. I just want to be creative. It took the pressure off us at the start.”
On the match and the result, the 20-year-old stated that it was a good day across the board for Real Madrid, as he said: “It was an important win. They were doing very well. We made a statement of intent to La Liga. Three goals, a clean sheet….”
It has been a truly remarkable start to life at Real Madrid for Bellingham and expressing how he feels to play for the Merengues, he exclaimed:
“I feel very good. I have freedom of movement and I’m enjoying football. Whenever I put on this shirt I always try to do my best.”
Apart from assisting Joselu’s opener, Bellingham also got his name on the scoresheet in the second period. Talking about his goal, the wonderkid said:
“It wasn’t a very good finish. I could have scored some more, but the important thing is the victory.”
The strike meant that Bellingham now has seven goals and two assists across all competitions for Real Madrid. Reflecting on his brilliant start, he said:
“It’s a good start, not bad. I would like to continue on this path and I won’t always score or assist, but I will always give my best.”
Bellingham’s celebration has been a huge hit, with kids in school, players from other clubs, and many others mimicking it. When asked how his special celebration originated, he replied:
“I don’t know where I first celebrated. I think it was with Birmingham. It’s an inspiration to see kids doing it in schools. It’s a wonderful thing.”
Source: AS
