Jude Bellingham heroics and seven reasons Real Madrid have overcome injuries and transfer uncertainty to make a perfect start to the season

Where would Madrid be without Bellingham this season? The stats certainly tell some of the story. He has scored six and assisted one in six games in all competitions since signing from Borussia Dortmund, having a hand in seven of Madrid's 11 goals this season.

But there's more to it than that. Bellingham has made this Madrid side his own in the absence of the injured Vinicius Jr, and without a big-name striker coming in to replace Benzema. Carlo Ancelotti's side were supposed to struggle in forward areas this season. In theory, a team with two excellent wingers but no centre-forward would struggle to break down La Liga's tight defences. It was Benzema, remember, who helped get the best out of Vinicius for the past two seasons.

In that sense, playing Bellingham so far forward seemed an imperfect fit. Here is a player who needs to be on the ball, in the middle of the pitch, as much as possible. Or so we thought. Bellingham has functioned as a 'false nine' for most of the campaign so far, a player who can not only add the finishing touch but also do the creative bits leading up to it.

As talented as he is, Bellingham cannot do everything alone, and will inevitably slow down. For now, though, he's carrying one of Europe's top sides on his 20-year-old back.

With previous captain Benzema gone, and Courtois injured, Madrid needed someone to step up and assume the armband. Dani Carvajal has done that with aplomb. The right-back was a liability at times towards the end of last season, his ageing legs proving costly in a number of big games, notably the Champions League semi-final loss to Manchester City.

A summer off — he only played 24 minutes of Spain's Nations League win over Italy — has given Carvajal new life. The right-back has been among Madrid's best performers so far, scampering up and down the right side of the pitch like a younger version of himself, and offering an attacking thrust around the edge of a narrow Madrid midfield.

His contributions don't always show up on the stat sheet, as he has just one assist to his name so far this season. But if being a captain is about effort, leg work, and solid performances, then Carvajal is certainly a good one.

Aurelien Tchouameni lost his place in the Madrid team entirely at the end of the 2022-23 campaign, and was even linked with a move away from Santiago Bernabeu this summer. But he opted to stick around, and vowed to fight for his place.

Early signs are that Tchouameni made the right decision. He has worked his way back into the picture this season, starting every game, and his contributions have been invaluable, too. Last season, Madrid were susceptible on the counter-attack in midfield. With Eduardo Camavinga — their only obvious No.6 — playing at left-back, Toni Kroos was forced into an uncomfortable defensive-midfield role. And it left them exposed for long stretches, Madrid far too easily hit on the counter by more expansive opponents.

This season, though, things look different. Tchouameni's solidity has given Kroos license to drift and distribute. He has also been more than capable cover for new full-back Fran Garcia when he roams down the line.

There is a long way to go here, especially given that Tchouameni is still 23. But for now, his presence is making Madrid a far more impactful side than they were just a few months ago.

When Vinicius went down in the 15th minute of Madrid's clash with Celta Vigo in early September, things didn't look very good in the Spanish capital. Never mind that Vinicius is arguably the club's best player, here was a winger who was supposed to take on the bulk of the goalscoring burden this season now facing a spell on the sidelines.

Madrid, of course, won that game thanks to a Bellingham strike in the 81st minute. In that same contest, though, Joselu turned in a solid performance up front, while Rodrygo still found a groove in the absence of his international team-mate.

Vinicius' injury, which will rule him out for another couple of weeks, was minor compared to the ailments sustained by some of the club's big names within the first 48 hours of the season. Two days before the opener, Courtois, arguably the best in the world at his position, went down in training with a torn ACL.

Eder Militao only lasted one half against Athletic Club on the opening day before enduring the same injury, but Antonio Rudiger has stepped into the defence and performed admirably so far. And while Courtois' replacement, Kepa Arrizabalaga, is yet to be truly tested, he seems to have settled in reasonably well after completing a loan deal from Chelsea.

Why would a 33-year-old Newcastle flop, who had only scored more than 15 goals in a season once, be any way fit to lead the line for Madrid? And how could he, with Los Blancos fans having expected to see one of Kylian Mbappe or Karim Benzema in his position when last season ended?

Joselu, in effect, was always going to have a hard time. There was no way that he could live up to the predecessor's ability, or hope to have anything like the impact that Mbappe would certainly have. But that doesn't mean he's been useless.

Joselu, in fact, has functioned as a true difference-maker for large stretches of this young campaign. There are the goals — two in two La Liga starts. Perhaps more broadly, though there's also something to be said for his constant effort. The striker doesn't finish at a particularly efficient rate — his 11 shots without a goal against Union Berlin proved as such — but the fact that he is always willing to get into advanced positions and attack the ball is reason enough for his inclusion.

A lot is made of strikers being a 'presence' in the front line. And that's exactly what Joselu functions as, a 6'4 handful who draws attention away from Bellingham, Rodrygo and co. It has been enough so far.

It is not easy to bench Luka Modric. Even at 38, the Croatian can still be a dominant presence in central midfield — something he showed against Union Berlin in the Champions League. Modric was never going to play every game this season, as Ancelotti suggested towards the end of last campaign that both he and Kroos would find themselves phased out of the side. But very few would have predicted that Modric would start just two of Los Blancos' first six fixtures.

The tactical call, although unexpected, has worked. Modric has offered a vital sense of calm off the bench, and helped Madrid dictate the tempo of games well into the final minutes. It is of little coincidence that Los Blancos' late goals have come when he is on the pitch.

There have been further tweaks, too. Youngster Garcia has seen heavy minutes, despite mixed performances. Camavinga, meanwhile, has stayed in midfield, even if he might be more effective than Garcia at left-back. Madrid's performances haven't been perfect — this is still a flawed side at times — but Ancelotti has certainly made the right calls with his teamsheet so far.

Madrid have been able to keep going to the end of games because of their relentlessness with the ball. Los Blancos ping the ball around for 90 minutes, searching for the acute angles, tiny gaps and perfect spaces in which to operate. They certainly have pace on the break, but without Vinicius, Madrid have to rely more on their intricacy with the ball than their willingness to run after it.

Such a playing style can be spellbinding at best, as Madrid pull opponents left and right before crafting the football perfectionist's dream goal. The reality is less eye-catching, with a heavy volume of imperfect shots and half-chances against dogged opponents. And in that sense, Madrid have needed some luck.

Bellingham's winner against Union Berlin came via two ricochets from a speculative Fede Valverde effort. His 95th-minute strike to down Getafe was equally fortunate, the attacking midfielder turning home after a spilled shot from a goalkeeper who had made save-after-save in the contest.

These are perhaps opportunistic moments, and nothing can be taken away from Bellingham for his instincts inside the box. But it's those kinds of small, often fortunate, bounces that can determine results. And so far, all of them have fallen Madrid's way.