Real Madrid News
Real Madrid midfielder warned about being too intense on the field: ‘What he did is a sending-off offence’
Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham has had a decent start to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, impressing in the opening game against Croatia.
He had a difficult outing against Ghana, much like the rest of the Three Lions, but it was his intensity that attracted a lot of attention.
According to Mundo Deportivo, Bellingham has come under scrutiny after incidents during England’s match against Ghana, including one moment when he covered his mouth while speaking to an opponent despite FIFA’s stricter rules on such behaviour.
Former England defender Kyle Walker has opened up on the issue, wherein he accepted that the Real Madrid star needs to be careful, but he also insisted that Bellingham’s intensity is part of what makes him special.
He said: “What he did is a sending-off offence, and he has to be careful. It is something normal that players do, but everyone has to keep the new rules in mind.”
Bellingham plays on the edge
Walker also referred to Bellingham’s exchange with the Ghana bench, saying:
“He also had a small altercation with the Ghana bench, but you cannot take that bite away from Jude. He has that way of playing on the edge and that is what makes him such an exceptional player.”
The key with Bellingham is balance. His intensity is not an issue. It is central to his game. He presses, argues, drives forward, demands more and often gives Madrid emotional leadership in matches that feel tense or messy.
International tournaments are stricter, referees are under pressure, and one avoidable red card can damage a team’s entire campaign.
Walker continued by describing the incident: “After pushing Jerome Opoku in front of the bench, he covered his mouth with his right hand to very clearly address Ayew.”
The Honduran referee, Said Martinez, didn’t send Bellingham off, nor did VAR indicate that he was making a mistake, especially given the recent expulsion of Miguel Almiron, who received a straight red card against Turkey for the first time in history under the ‘Prestiani Law.’
Madrid and England need his edge, not the risk
Walker finished with a fair assessment of Bellingham’s personality and level.
“Bellingham plays with his heart on his sleeve, but he needs to be calculating with his head. He cannot go that far,” he added.
“But it seems people have the wrong idea about Jude. I can assure you that in the team he is a class example. And he is at Real Madrid for a reason: he is a top-level player.”
Bellingham is not at the Bernabeu by accident. He has the quality, mentality and presence of a player built for the biggest stages.
Still, Walker’s warning should not be dismissed. Bellingham does not need to lose his intensity, but he does need to control it better.
England will hope that Bellingham can be calmer and contribute more on the pitch in the coming games.
Real Madrid News
Rayo Vallecano manager names the one Real Madrid figure he would remove from the team
Rayo Vallecano face a daunting trip to the Santiago Bernabeu to take on a wounded Real Madrid this weekend.
Life after Inigo Perez has not been kind to the Vallecas-based club, who have already had to travel to Camp Nou and now face a trip to the home of their city giants.
Speaking ahead of the game (h/t Madrid Xtra), Rayo Vallecano manager Benat San Jose was asked which Real Madrid player he would like to remove from the team before this weekend’s game.
Surprisingly, his choice was not Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior or Thibaut Courtois.
“Mourinho”
Asked which Madrid player he would take out of the upcoming contest, Benat jokingly chose the man sitting on the opposition bench.
“Which Real Madrid player I’d remove from the match against them? Mourinho,” Benat said with a laugh.
The answer might have been delivered jokingly, but the Rayo coach immediately made clear just how highly he rates the Portuguese manager.
“He’s one of the best managers in history,” he added.
It is significant praise ahead of Saturday’s meeting at the Bernabeu.
Madrid’s squad contains enough individual quality to give any opposition coach several obvious answers, but Benat instead highlighted the influence Mourinho can have over the entire team.
That has become particularly relevant since the Portuguese coach returned to Madrid. His early work has focused on making a talented group function with greater collective discipline.
Courtois and Madrid’s attack also praised
Benat did not stop with the manager.
“They also have one of the best GKs in history and one of the best attackers in history,” he said.
Benat will definitely have seen how Thibaut Courtois played against Inter Milan in midweek and will hope that version does not turn up again this weekend.
Even when teams manage to create opportunities against Madrid, they still have to beat one of the defining goalkeepers of his generation.
At the opposite end, Madrid possess attacking quality capable of turning a match on its head.
The likes of Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham can all decide matches single-handedly.
Madrid have a point to prove
Madrid are coming off a disappointing loss to Real Betis in La Liga last weekend and will come into this game with a point to prove.
They will want to ensure that the loss to the Andalusian club was a one-off and that they return to winning ways against Rayo.
Their title rivals, Barça, have been flying high in the league, scoring goals and picking opponents apart for fun.
Madrid need to ensure that they do not hand too much early incentive to Barça, and it remains to be seen how Los Blancos fare against Rayo Vallecano.
