'I know the truth' - Jude Bellingham explains new drinking celebration in dig at critics after scoring in Real Madrid's six-goal Champions League romp against Monaco

It's been a tumultuous couple of weeks for Real Madrid since Xabi Alonso left the club. Los Blancos were eliminated from the Copa del Rey in Alvaro Arbeloa's first game in charge, while the players were the subject of boos from the home crowd during a straightforward 2-0 victory over Levante at the weekend.

However, there were few jeers on Tuesday as the Spanish giants made light work of Monaco. Kylian Mbappe's first-half brace put them in a dominant position before Franco Mastantuono and Vinicius Junior struck either side of a Thilo Kehrer own goal. The visitors did pull one back through Jordan Teze, but Bellingham's 80th-minute effort put the finishing touches on a 6-1 thrashing.

While plenty of supporters and media figures have criticised Madrid players for the squad's disappointing season so far, Spanish YouTuber AuronPlay upped the ante before the weekend when he claimed Bellingham drinks too much alcohol and visits too many nightclubs.

He said: "There's not a single nightclub in Spain that Jude Bellingham has not visited. He loves alcohol too much." 

"Have you seen him in training? He's sweating all of the rum. He loves partying too much."

Bellingham was spotted in Ibiza over the summer as he enjoyed his time away from football during the off-season, but there is little to no evidence of the former Borussia Dortmund star being an excessive drinker as claimed by AuronPlay.

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Bellingham got the perfect chance to respond to the critics on Wednesday and didn't disappoint as he scored Madrid's sixth goal of the evening. The 22-year-old took the opportunity to mimic taking a drink as his celebration, revealing after the game it was a joke aimed at his naysayers.

He told TNT Sports: "It feels like anyone now can get a camera, say what they want and the whole world just believes them with no evidence. I feel there's two ways you can take it. You can cry about it and moan, or you can just roll with it and enjoy it. 

"[The gesture] was a bit of a joke back to the fans and to the people who say whatever they want. For me, I know the truth and I know what really goes on in my personal life. I know what I give to the game, what I give in the game and what I try to give to the team. 

"All the outside noise doesn't really matter but it's nice to have a little joke.

"I've always said the fans pay their money, work all week and save up to come to Real Madrid games to support us so they're entitled to say what they want. 

"This was the kind of performance we have to deliver more for our fans."

Despite the turbulence of recent weeks, Madrid are now in a strong position in the Champions League thanks to their success on Tuesday night. Arbeloa's side are up to second in the league phase table as they look to seal a top-eight finish and avoid an extra round of fixtures. Their final league phase game comes next week at Benfica.

It's still all to play for in the La Liga title race, too. Madrid are only a point behind current leaders and bitter rivals Barcelona and can take top spot on Saturday if they beat Villarreal before Hansi Flick's side host Real Oviedo on Sunday.