Bellingham faces El Clasico test after contrasting England and Real Madrid form

Jude Bellingham returns to Real Madrid’s biggest fixture against Barcelona with his recent performances under scrutiny after producing two markedly different versions of himself for club and country.

The England midfielder was outstanding during the latest international break, scoring once and providing four assists in four matches. His standout display came on 3 October against Croatia, when England won 7-0 in Rijeka.

Bellingham scored and set up three more goals, influencing almost every attack, raising the tempo whenever he chose and maintaining constant communication with his team-mates. Croatia, featuring Luka Modric, were not an inferior side accustomed to heavy defeats, making the performance even more significant.

It appeared to be a return to the form Bellingham showed during his first season at Real Madrid, when he regularly arrived in the penalty area from midfield and settled matches with remarkable ease.

However, that impact has not immediately transferred to his club football. Since returning from international duty, Bellingham has played against Villarreal, Roma, Sevilla and Leipzig without scoring, although he has provided one assist.

Against Villarreal, in his first match back, he completed 90 minutes, had two shots and created no chances. He was unable to score against Roma despite playing the entire game, recording three attempts and creating one opportunity in a match Real Madrid won 4-3.

The contrast with his display against Croatia was clear. The player who seemed to be behind every England attack has had to re-establish his influence at Real Madrid, where attacking responsibilities are shared among several high-profile players.

Signs of progress

The statistics also suggest there has been no sustained decline in Bellingham’s performances. After creating no chances against Villarreal, he made one against Roma, two against Sevilla and three against Leipzig.

Against Sevilla, he supplied his only assist since the international break, setting up Kylian Mbappe, and produced his most productive display of the four-match sequence.

He did not contribute directly to a goal against Leipzig but created three chances, had two shots and completed both of his attempted dribbles. Such details can be overlooked when attention is focused on other players, but they indicate that Bellingham is becoming increasingly involved in the final attacking areas.

His position also shapes his performances. Jose Mourinho uses him in an advanced role close to the forwards, allowing him to surge from midfield and arrive in the box. The role can limit his involvement during some phases of build-up, however, making his influence dependent on the ball reaching dangerous areas.

At times he appears to disappear from matches because he is not involved in every passing sequence. Then he can suddenly find space and turn an ordinary attack into a serious threat.

Bellingham has scored three goals and registered three assists in nine rounds of La Liga this season. His six direct goal contributions are a strong return for a midfielder and do not support the idea of a disappointing campaign.

The issue is consistency rather than talent. El Clasico at Camp Nou offers Bellingham the ideal opportunity to show how far he has progressed in restoring his influence. Mourinho will need his energy, capacity to reach the penalty area and character as Real Madrid seek a player capable of changing the course of the match.