Real Madrid: Jude Bellingham issues Xabi Alonso verdict as pressure builds after Man City defeat | OneFootball

Briton backs his manager despite dip in form

Jude Bellingham insisted Real Madrid’s squad remain united behind Xabi Alonso despite falling to a second consecutive home defeat on Wednesday night.

Bellingham played the duration and missed some presentable chances as Pep Guardiola’s Man City came from behind to win 2-1 at the Bernabeu.

Bellingham, though, said the Real Madrid squad remain ‘100 per cent’ behind their manager.

“I think the manager has been great,” he told TNT Sports .”I personally have got a great relationship with him, a lot of the lads do as well.

“I think after the first run of games where we drew a few, we had some really great conversations internally and we felt like we would be on the back side of that bad form.

“In the last couple of games we’ve let ourselves down again, but nobody is downing tools, nobody is complaining, moaning, thinking the season is over.

100 per cent: Jude Bellingham is not giving up on Xabi Alonso

Mike Egerton/PA Wire

“We just have to take a bit of the s*** on the chin, as they say, but we’ll have to keep fighting and keep bouncing forward.

“I’ve got full faith that this season is not over just because we’ve been on a bad run of form. Obviously, as players, it kills us, and we will try everything we can to turn it around.”

He continued, acknowledging that Real’s football had wrinkles to iron out.

Asked what the biggest issue in the side is, he said: “I think probably a number of things. Obviously, we are still trying to work it out regardless of what goes on outside.

“That noise will not be helpful, so it’s about us trying to figure it out inside the dressing room. I think one of the things that is probably quite obvious is how we are managing games at the minute.

“As a player, inside the changing room, seeing what we’ve got in there, working with the coach every day, I think we have everything we need to turn it around.”

Elaborating on how he deals with external noise, he added: “It's just life, isn’t it, really? This is what I signed up for. I play for the biggest club in the world, and in one of the most scrutinised countries in the world. I don’t want pity, I’m living the dream.

“People would die to be in the position that I’m in. It comes with a few people being a bit negative, but that’s fine.

“Like I said, I roll with the punches and I am always focused on the football. When that’s good, I’m happy, and that is the most important thing to me.”