Jude Bellingham and the fire that summarizes his status at Real Madrid

The half-time of the extension approached when Jew Bellingham felt the danger and pulling back with full fur, expropriating Marcos Llorente and containing an Atletico Madrid counter-attack.

The tackle was clean and the threat turned away, but the Englishman was not finished. He hit the lawn twice before jumping on his feet and led his anger to the teammate, which he left down for the side. Vinicius junior, above, was too easy to avoid, with his work rate missing.

He still opened himself off the ground and avoided making eye contact with Bellingham. But he would have heard his symptoms.

This moment was exposed to Bellingham's personality.

The 21-year-old already represents the indomitable spirit of Real Madrid: One leader less than two seasons in his time in the club, a player who defines the standard and negotiated his team at the negotiation through her difficult Champions League League against her city rival. Reals controversial 4: 2 penalty shootout victory after a 2-2 printing means a quarter-finals against Arsenal next month.

It says everything about his influence in this club that he accelerated a team-mate for a perceived lack of effort during the Tensse with 1-0 defeat on Wednesday in the Metropolitano Stadium of Atletico for the 1-0 defeat in Atletico.

The structure of the game was everything about Kylian Mbappe.

The French striker of Madrid suffered discomfort after a kick on his ankle against Rayo Vallecano at the weekend, said the club, but was finally named in her starting line -up in Atletico. But Mbappe was not the only Madrid player who suffered physically in the 2-1 home win on Sunday.

Bellingham knocked on his thigh. This is not worth mentioning, the persistent shoulder problem that he has been wearing since last season and for which he still has special protection in every game.

After a three-game lock, the English midfielder was out of the pace against Osasuna against Rayo after his red card last month. The hangover lingered in this Atletico Derby. Like his teammates, he slowly started and watched his compatriot Conor Gallagher scored a goal for the hosts in the opening minute.

Bellingham, how real, worked. Where was his attacking threat? He tried to release a shot at the goal or to create a chance for a teammate. Four minutes before half -time, when a high cross was thrown into the Atletico Box, he had his first real view of the goal, just to get involved with team -mate Aurelien Tchouameni when they fought for the same ball in the air.

The chance begged and let the two players argue, and the tension obviously with the bandage.

This false communication summarized everything for Real, the defending champion of the competition. The teammates fought to combine effectively and their base game rarely clicked. Vinicius Jr. solved a critical punishment high and broad and prompted Bellingham to comfort him. Nothing worked properly. When the game was stopped in 79 minutes and the visitors tried to make a change, the Englishman must have asked himself whether his time had expired.

Instead, manager Carlo Ancelotti decided to record Brahim Diaz for Rodrygo. And with his team at the lowest ebb, Bellingham finally performed.

He was the one who increased her to the speed of her ball circuit when the match went towards additional time. He was the one who immersed them in duels and clarifications – he called from each – and won a flood of ground duels (10 of his 15). He was the one to whom Madrid's employee believed that he had physically and obviously lifted his level in the additional half an hour. Where Atletico at Wilt started, Bellingham began to dominate.

In the end, he had completed 84 passes (for a success rate of 93 percent), which successfully completed six or his eight long passes and stamped his authority on the field. He eyed some of these classic drives, kept the ball as an opponent and forced real territory with the tie on a knife edge.

Such late revealing is nothing new. In the first leg of the play-off with Manchester City in the previous round, Bellingham had achieved his team's critical ultimate goal in the Etihad Stadium to secure this 3-2 overall victory. Since he arrived from Bernabeu from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2023, he has made it a habit to find the network in the additional time.

This time, however, it was his leadership on the field, which was the key – as by the excuses by Vinicius Jr.

Bellingham's Spanish may not yet be fluid, but his status in the changing room is defined.

He has the respect and admiration of his teammates, of which he demands so much on the field. The veterans may have abandoned this club since the end of last season-Fernandez, Toni Kroos and Joselu-, but he is a leader. A player already appeared.

He emulated Cristiano Ronaldo in the penalty shot, exchanged words with Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak and then composed himself before he pushed his shot into the corner when Oblak dived in the other direction. The conversion stray trust. He would never miss.

With the winning of the victory, he joined his teammates to celebrate in front of the northern stand of the stadium, where more than 3,500 Madrid fans were understandably loud atmosphere.

Some Atletico supporters in his lower sections have things throwing them, but Bellingham hardly took care of Bellingham. He led one of the plastic cups away and surprised teammates Diaz. Then he went to his parents Mark and Denise, who were accompanied in the ground private security.

“I was a bit worried about my father because of the enemy environment, but the club managed to help them,” Bellingham told TNT Sports after the game. “No matter how old you are, it's always nice to see your mother and father in the stands.

“Sometimes it needs it. Sometimes it is not a quality, it is just attitude and serenity, and this mentality to know that there is a certain way to win games and we are very good at it. We understand situations very well and how to overcome them. “

Nights like this were made for Bellingham. He and Real Madrid seem to be the perfect fit.

(Toptoto: Alvaro Medranda Quality Sports Images/Getty Images)