JUDE BELLINGHAM has incurred the wrath of manager Carlo Ancelotti – by SNUBBING a phone call from the Real Madrid gaffer.
Bellingham is currently enjoying a well-earned summer holiday after guiding Real to La Liga and Champions League success last season and playing a key role in England‘s run to the Euro 2024 final.
Ancelotti has given the midfielder extra time off to recover from the long campaign but has been regularly checking up on him.
But the 21-year-old drew the ire of the legendary manager by snubbing one of his phone calls before picking up and answering a call from team-mate Vinicius Jr a few moments later.
Ancelotti revealed: “I’m in touch… but yesterday I got angry with Bellingham because he didn’t answer me.
“I told Vinicius to call him and he picked up immediately. He passed me the phone and I was able to speak to him. So be careful.”
Bellingham was a revelation during his first season at the Bernabeu, scoring 23 goals and racking up 13 assists in his first season with the European powerhouses.
And Ancelotti has backed him to continue to thrive – despite the blockbuster summer arrival of Kylian Mbappe from Paris Saint-Germain.
He said of Bellingham: “Nothing changes for him. Nothing changes.
“The first season, he surprised a lot, because he showed fantastic quality, a really mature guy.
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“The next season will not be different.
“He is going to be one of the best players that we have, supporting the team a lot with his quality.”
Asked about Bellingham’s Euros display, Ancelotti added: “This is an opinion but Bellingham played really well at the Euros.
“England played really well, they reached the final and were close to winning it.
“I don’t know how tired the players are for the games.
“The most important players are used to playing every three days, they manage that really well and arrive at the end of the season without any problems.”
Ancelotti rounds off Madrid’s pre-season tour of America by facing former club Chelsea in Charlotte.
The Italian won the double with the Blues in 2010 before being sacked by former owner Roman Abramovich at the end of the following season despite finishing second.
Chelsea’s American owners promised an end to the hire-and-fire approach of Abramovich, but have already sacked three permanent managers.
Ancelotti said: “It’s changed a lot. They invested a lot.
“They have a good squad, good players, young. They have a young manager.
“They need to be a little bit patient, the owners, to take experience, to grow. But the signings that they have made are really good.”
Blues goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga spent last season on loan at Real Madrid and has been hoping for a permanent return, but Ancelotti suggested a permanent move would not be on the cards.
He said: “In that position, we are covered. Kepa did really well last season.
“He was with us. We were really happy to have him here but I don’t know what’s going to happen this season.
“We love him, we love him.”
