Real Madrid upset with Thomas Tuchel's handling of Jude Bellingham on England duty

The Spanish newspaper Marca described the trip as "pointless," raising "more questions than answers" for Real Madrid. After Jude Bellingham played only a few minutes for Los Blancos in their recent derby victory against Atletico Madrid after returning from injury, the club expected him to get valuable playing time to regain his fitness or to remain in Spain to focus on his recovery under the supervision of their medical staff. However, coach Tuchel preferred to keep him on the bench.

Tuchel insists that the decision to omit Bellingham from the 1-1 draw with Uruguay and the shock 1-0 defeat to Japan was a calculated one. The German coach prioritised the long-term health of the player over friendly results, especially with the 2026 World Cup on the horizon.

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, Tuchel said: "I think it's too much of a risk. So, the tendency is that he [Bellingham] will not play. We have all gained from him being part of it. He was excellent in training, but he was involved as a neutral player. He was involved in not the whole 100 per cent of the training. So, it looked very, very good but we're still holding him back, to not take a risk. The injury is a muscle, it's a very particular one, and we absolutely don't want the re-injury in this moment of the season. And him as well, it was very good that he was in camp. He was excellent."

Madrid believe that Tuchel's refusal to grant Bellingham even a few minutes of game time has "done little to help" his readiness for their upcoming Champions League quarter-final first leg clash with Bayern Munich. The club feels that if Bellingham was fit enough to train with the national team, he should have been utilized to help him find his stride before returning to domestic duties for the business end of the season.

Tuchel remains convinced that the trip was beneficial, regardless of Bellingham's lack of match action. However, the friction between the FA and Real Madrid suggests that future call-ups for the midfielder will be scrutinized heavily, especially if there are any lingering fitness concerns. For now, all eyes turn back to the Bernabeu to see if Bellingham can shake off the rust and play a key role in their bid for a La Liga and Champions League double over the coming weeks.