‘Nowhere near’ – Jude Bellingham issues ten-word message ahead of Arsenal clash after Real Madrid woes

Jude Bellingham Demands Improvement from Real Madrid Ahead of Arsenal Clash

Jude Bellingham has urged his Real Madrid teammates to step up their game as they prepare for a pivotal Champions League quarter-final against Arsenal this week. Despite a disappointing 2-1 loss at home to Valencia on Saturday, which dented their La Liga title hopes, Madrid is now turning its focus to the European competition.

Mouctar Diakhaby opened the scoring for Valencia, and though Vinicius Jr equalized for Madrid, Hugo Duro’s dramatic stoppage-time goal sealed the victory for the visitors. With Barcelona now four points clear after their 1-1 draw with Real Betis, Madrid must quickly regroup ahead of their Champions League encounter.

In a message posted on Instagram following the weekend’s defeat, Bellingham expressed his frustration: “Nowhere near good enough from us. Must change for Tuesday!”

Despite the recent setback, Madrid remains the favorite to advance past Arsenal over two legs and reach a fifth consecutive semi-final. The Gunners will be without crucial defender Gabriel, who has been ruled out for the remainder of the season due to a hamstring injury.

Arsenal had also hoped that a UEFA investigation into potential misconduct by several Madrid players would result in suspensions, but Kylian Mbappé, Vinicius Jr, Antonio Rudiger, and Dani Ceballos will all be available for the match.

This encounter will be the third time these two clubs have met in the Champions League, with their previous clash in 2006 seeing Arsenal advance 1-0 on aggregate, eventually reaching the final but losing to Barcelona. Since then, Madrid has lifted the Champions League trophy six times, extending their total to a record 15.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side will face either Paris Saint-Germain or Aston Villa in the semi-finals if they manage to overcome Arsenal.

Bellingham, who has been a key figure in Madrid’s success this season, with 13 goals and 13 assists in 41 appearances, will be crucial once again as they chase a 16th European title. His recent performances, including an assist for Vinicius Jr against Valencia and a goal in the Copa del Rey semi-finals, showcase his importance to the team’s ambitions.