Beijing time (CEST) August 30 – According to reports from "AS", Real Madrid's current priority is to reclaim major trophies. However, behind this main mission lies an urgent and very specific priority: restoring Bellingham to peak form.

Since returning to Real Madrid, José Mourinho has much work ahead of him. The primary task, which he and the whole world understand, is to start winning again—securing victories and lifting trophies. At Real Madrid, there is no other measure of success. But this is merely the overarching objective; to achieve it, certain more specific interim goals must first be accomplished. One of them is rediscovering Bellingham at his best—the peak form he displayed in his first season at Real Madrid: an impressive record of 23 goals and 13 assists, helping the team secure La Liga and Champions League titles while finishing third in the Ballon d'Or voting.

However, in the two seasons that followed, this exceptional performance has not been sustained: across both seasons combined, Bellingham's statistics have barely matched his 23 goals from his debut season, with his assists standing at only 20—just 5 more than his debut campaign (13 assists). This stagnation has been reflected not only in his on-pitch performance but also felt in the stands—some Real Madrid supporters even viewed it as a source of tension in the dressing room, and this internal friction ultimately led to Xabi Alonso's departure.

Regardless, as Bellingham's compatriot often says, all of this is "in the past". Under Mourinho, Bellingham has the chance for a fresh start, and his impressive showing at the Copa América has given him greater confidence: with 7 goals and 1 assist, he helped England reach third place in the tournament.

Now, in Mourinho's tactical system, Bellingham bears greater responsibility. The Setúbal-born coach has explained that although Bellingham is a midfielder, in his view he is first and foremost a weapon for creating offensive threats: "He has the ability to score goals and should be closer to the penalty area. He is a number 10, although he can also play as a number 6 or 8, but if he plays too deep, it will diminish his threat to the opponent's goal."

Two official matches so far have confirmed Mourinho's assessment: Bellingham has scored 1 goal and provided 2 assists, single-handedly accounting for half of Real Madrid's total 6 goals. Therefore, although his pre-season preparation time was short—he only returned to pre-season training on August 12—it is already difficult to imagine Real Madrid without him playing as the number 10.

Tonight against Málaga, Bellingham will continue as a starter. There is only one variable in Real Madrid's expected lineup: Cucurella is expected to start at left-back, while Diomandé must continue patiently awaiting his opportunity.

Real Madrid's opponent tonight is an impressive Málaga side. The team is composed of young academy players and several new signings, with their coach being the equally impressive Funes. Funes was previously a secondary school teacher who coached Málaga's B team while seeking new coaching opportunities. In November of last season, he took over the senior team in an emergency situation, with the initial goal merely to avoid relegation. However, he achieved 17 wins in 29 matches, not only securing a promotion playoff spot but then consecutively eliminating Las Palmas and Almería, bringing the team back to La Liga after 8 years.

Now on the top-flight stage, they still maintain their young and expansive style of play. They impressed at the Metropolitano Stadium previously, and in their match against Deportivo La Coruña, the team secured their first La Liga points this season.

Diterjemahkan oleh AI.

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