Honest Jude Bellingham blames himself for narrow scoreline as Real Madrid edge past Inter

Madrid kicked off their latest quest for European glory with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Inter at the Santiago Bernabeu, but the headlines post-match were dominated by Bellingham’s candid admission. The midfielder was influential throughout the contest, yet his inability to find the back of the net weighed heavily on his mind as he spoke to the media after the final whistle. While many players would focus on the collective result, the former Borussia Dortmund star was focused on the chances he left on the pitch.

"There were moments when we had to suffer against a very good team," Bellingham said. "They are Italian champions for a reason, and there were moments when we made them suffer, especially on the counterattack, when we moved the ball well. Something similar happened against Betis last weekend, when we failed to convert our chances."

"Today we could have finished the game with a bigger scoreline. We had chances, myself included, but in the Champions League there will be moments of suffering. We only conceded one goal, and the defenders did very well, but great teams find gaps."

The English midfielder was particularly critical of two specific moments where he felt he should have put the game to bed. Facing Inter goalkeeper Josep Martinez, Bellingham found himself in prime scoring positions but couldn't apply the finishing touch, a fact that he believes put unnecessary pressure on his teammates during the closing stages of the match. The 23-year-old noted that he had missed two sitters and, while he praised the opposing keeper, he refused to use that as an excuse for his lack of a clinical edge.

"I thought I was going to score. On the first chance, the goalkeeper appeared out of nowhere. The ball fell to me, and I thought: 'This is a goal.' But he pulled out an arm from who knows where, and on the second one I got to see the ball a bit late, there were people in the way, I tried to bring it down and struck it quite well. But again, out of nowhere, another great save. It’s frustrating because it would have made life easier for us if I had scored, but it’s part of the game. Another day, those will go in," Bellingham recalled.

Bellingham went into further detail regarding the technical aspects of his misses, particularly a chance created by Brahim Diaz. He admitted that he overthought the situation, leading to a breakdown in execution that allowed Martinez to recover. This level of self-scrutiny has become a trademark of Bellingham’s time in the Spanish capital, as he constantly demands the highest standards from himself regardless of the competition or the scoreline.

"Brahim chipped it over and I was waiting for the ball to see it, it’s finally come and it looked a bit high so I thought do I head it in, but in the end I just got in my own head and I even still managed to get a good chance but the goalie got back well to make the save. I had two sitters today. The goalkeeper did well, but I’ve just got to put the ball in the net," Bellingham noted.

Beyond his individual performance, Bellingham expressed his excitement about working under the new regime following the return of Jose Mourinho to the club. The Special One has clearly made an immediate impact on the squad's mentality, implementing a high-pressing system that led to both goals against the Nerazzurri. For Bellingham, the transition period under a new tactical setup is not a burden but a source of motivation as the team looks to gel in the coming months.

"Brilliant. He and his staff have been amazing at setting standards on and off the pitch. In terms of the values he wants his team to look like. We understand what he wants, and everyone is on… We know well how he wants his team to play. Today, we saw those values he instills. In both goals, that high pressing. There are many positives, but also things to improve. And that’s normal because there’s a new coach and a new team. I’m enjoying the good and the areas for improvement," he concluded.