'A tough situation for him' - Jobe Bellingham defended by Harry Kane for costly blunder against Bayern Munich as England captain offers advice to struggling Borussia Dortmund youngster

Bellingham arrived at Dortmund for €33 million (£28m/$38m) earlier this year, carrying weighty expectations due to his surname and breakout performances at Sunderland. But since joining, he has found game time difficult to secure, with head coach Niko Kovac using him mainly as a rotation player rather than a consistent starter. Saturday’s Klassiker was seen as a fresh opportunity to impress.

The 20-year-old came on as a substitute in the 73rd minute with Die Borussen trailing the Bavarians 1-0. Instead of sparking a comeback, his brief cameo became memorable for the wrong reasons. During Bayern’s counterattack that led to the second goal, Bellingham initially intercepted a cross but failed to clear the ball, allowing Michael Olise to score the decisive strike.

It was yet another frustrating outing. With only 15 touches and limited influence, Bellingham’s appearance summed up much of his Dortmund spell so far - short, hesitant, and lacking rhythm. Still without a full 90-minute appearance this season, the midfielder is under growing scrutiny from fans and pundits alike.

After the final whistle, Bayern and England striker Kane, who scored the opening goal and his 400th career club strike, was quick to defend his young compatriot. Kane acknowledged that Bellingham’s mistake came in a high-pressure moment but insisted it should not define his development.

"It was a tough situation for him. He tries to control the first ball, but Michael Olise reacts well and slides into the ball. Unfortunate, but he just has to keep going and work hard," he said. "He's a good player with a lot of potential. I'm sure he wants to play more right now, but that's part of learning at this level. He has a great future ahead of him, he just needs to keep working."

The ex-Sunderland midfielder's struggles come at a time when Dortmund are under pressure both domestically and in Europe. The club sit fourth in the Bundesliga, seven points behind leaders Bayern, and criticism has been aimed at Kovac’s tactical setup and player rotation.

There are growing comparisons with Jude’s path at BVB - a journey that began with bench roles before he became indispensable. However, the pressure on Jobe is arguably greater due to the shadow of his brother’s success at both Dortmund and Real Madrid. Fans expected a smooth transition, but instead, inconsistencies and hesitation have marked his displays.

Despite criticism, Dortmund believe in his potential. Kovac has publicly defended him for his msitake on the weekend: "I can’t find any fault with Jobe. He was standing where he needed to be. The ball was played in so sharply. It was an artistic feat in its own right that he didn’t score an own-goal. When a ball is played in so sharply, his first task is to hold his centre of gravity. He had his head down and Olise took advantage of this split second and slid in. That’s not a simple [situation]. There’s no fault. I think that everything is fine with that situation."

Bellingham will now hope to reclaim confidence through training and potential starts in upcoming fixtures. With Dortmund juggling Bundesliga and Champions League commitments, rotation will continue and so will his chances to prove himself. Patience, consistency, and mental strength will be key.

For BVB, the focus shifts to closing the gap at the top of the table. Bayern’s victory leaves them seven points clear of BVB, while RB Leipzig sit five points behind the Bavarians in second. Dortmund will aim to bounce back quickly to keep title hopes alive and avoid slipping further down the standings.