Ancelotti: Madrid aren’t over-reliant on Bellingham

Carlo Ancelotti denied that Real Madrid are over-reliant on Jude Bellingham‘s goals after the team was held to a 0-0 draw by Rayo Vallecano in LaLiga on Sunday.

The goalless draw at the Santiago Bernabeu was the first time this season that Madrid have failed to score and sees them second in the table, two points behind surprise leaders Girona.

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Bellingham, who has scored 10 goals in 11 LaLiga appearances this season, played the full 90 minutes but will undergo tests on Monday after an awkward fall in the first half left him requiring treatment on his shoulder.

“Bellingham had a shoulder problem and he’ll be assessed tomorrow,” Ancelotti said in his postmatch news conference. “He was able to carry on. Tomorrow he’ll undergo tests, let’s hope it’s not serious and he’s able to play on Wednesday [against Braga in the Champions League].”

Ancelotti insisted that Madrid have enough goalscorers in their squad to cope if Bellingham can’t get on the scoresheet, or is unavailable.

“No. We have a lot of resources,” he said. “Today we created [chances] with [Fede] Valverde, with Vinícius [Junior], Joselu, Rodrygo [Goes]. We weren’t clinical.”

Madrid had 22 shots against Rayo, five of them on target, with 2.05 xG (expected goals), but were unable to make the breakthrough.

“We tried with crosses, we tried with through balls, we tried going direct, we tried every way and it didn’t work out,” Ancelotti said. “Everybody knows it can happen. You have to believe until the end, and the players tried until the last second.

“We’re hurt by the result, but not by the game. We deserved to win. In the table we’re fine, we’ve played seven away games and five at home, we’re in the fight, we’re doing well in the Champions League. There’s no drama.”

Madrid host Braga on Wednesday and then Valencia in LaLiga on Saturday, before the international break.