Real Madrid's Bellingham wants redemption against Bayern Munich. He has suffered plenty against the Bavarians since his days at Borussia Dortmund. Now, dressed in white, he wants his revenge.
Real Madrid will need the best from each of its players to achieve something it has never accomplished in the European Cup: coming back to win a tie after losing the first leg at home. Something the White team only achieved in the 1971 Cup Winners' Cup. In the round of 16, with goals from Grande and Manolin Bueno, they came back from a 1-0 first-leg loss to Wacker Innsbruck.
Among all the pieces of their machinery that the White team needs at an optimal level is Jude Bellingham. The match against Girona marked the Englishman's return to the starting lineup. It hadn't happened since Feb. 1, when he got injured against Rayo. "We saw Bellingham with good feelings, agile, confident. It was very good for him to get the rhythm and feeling.
We have to be very happy with his match, positive for him. He was very tired, but that's normal," Arbeloa explained after the match. Girona served as a rehearsal for the Allianz. Bellingham will start against the Bavarians. And Bayern is a rival loaded with bad memories and unfinished business for the Englishman.
There is no rival in Jude's career against whom he has played more times at the elite level. With Wednesday's match, that number rises to 12. And the record is devastating: eight losses, two draws, and only one win.
The wounds Bellingham has from his battles against Bayern are of all kinds. Perhaps the most painful is the last memory as a Borussia Dortmund player.
On May 27, 2023, Bellingham was injured. A knee problem prevented him from playing the last matchday of the Bundesliga. Borussia Dortmund was leading. If they beat Mainz, they would be champions. If not, they depended on Bayern not winning at Cologne.
Everything was prepared at Signal Iduna Park for a big celebration. A double: winning the Bundesliga and saying goodbye to Bellingham. Because it had long been known that he was leaving for Madrid.
The afternoon ended in tears, but not of happiness. Borussia could only draw 2-2, and Bayern, who were losing 1-0 with nine minutes left, won with a goal from Musiala. The title went to Bavaria, and Bellingham closed his time in Germany with a huge blow.
With Borussia Dortmund, he was the German Cup champion in 2021, his only title. He could have won two more, but in both cases Bayern denied him.
The German Super Cups in 2020 and 2021 pitted Borussia and Bayern against each other. And both ended in Munich: 3-2 and 3-1.
In six Bundesliga duels, the most Bellingham got — he has never scored against Bayern in 701 minutes — was a 2-2 draw at home on Oct. 8, 2022, with a goal from Anthony Modeste in the 95th minute.
When Bellingham looks for the only time he has beaten Bayern, the name Joselu bursts in forcefully. Because that moment is the Champions League semifinals two seasons ago, the one that the Englishman has on his resume.
It seemed that Jude's curse against the Bavarian giant would add another case. Because in the 88th minute, the score was 1-0, which would send Bayern to the London final after the 2-2 draw in Munich. But in just two minutes, Joselu found the back of Manuel Neuer's net twice.
Now, just under two years later, Bellingham faces another critical situation against Bayern. Madrid needs a feat, something not lacking in their magical relationship with the European Cup. And they need the best version of their No. 5.
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