Emotions are running high at Valdebebas. As Real Madrid prepares for their uphill battle against Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League, tension seeps from the pitch into training ground sessions. With Kylian Mbappe’s shocking red card, reports of a heated bust-up between Jude Bellingham and Antonio Rudiger, and the looming threat of elimination in Europe, the mood in Madrid is anything but calm.
On paper, Real Madrid’s 1-0 win over Deportivo Alaves in La Liga should have provided a lift. A first-half goal from Eduardo Camavinga gave the visitors the edge, but what followed cast a shadow over the result. Just minutes after the opener, Kylian Mbappe was sent off for a reckless studs-up challenge on Antonio Blanco. The initial yellow card was overturned after a VAR review, and the Frenchman saw red for the first time since 2019.
The French star left the pitch in silence, his expression cold and apologetic. Later, he reportedly offered a private apology to Blanco and his teammates. Even assistant coach Davide Ancelotti had no complaints about the decision: “It was undoubtedly a situation deserving of a red card, but Mbappe is not a violent player.”
Still, the damage may be lasting, despite escaping with just a one-game ban. The aftershocks reached the coaching staff as well. Social media buzzed with images of Carlo Ancelotti watching from indoors, vaping and visibly frustrated after the expulsion. According to ESPN, “Ancelotti’s disappointment was clearly revealed.”
Training ground confrontation adds fire to the fuel
In the days that followed, things got worse. Spanish outlet El Chiringuito dropped a bombshell: Jude Bellingham and Antonio Rudiger were involved in a training ground altercation.
The report claimed that the German defender tackled the Englishman roughly, triggering an angry reaction from the Englishman. The situation quickly escalated with teammates reportedly forced to separate the two before it turned physical.
Bellingham has now confirmed the incident. “It’s football, it’s normal on the pitch that emotions get high,” he said in Tuesday’s pre-match press conference. “You communicate with teammates louder than you’d communicate with your mum and dad.”
He continued: “For every negative interaction you see, there are 20 positive interactions. That will get lost in the media, which is fine, as long as the team respects each other to have those honest conversations.”
While the matter appears to be resolved—with both players reportedly shaking hands afterwards—the timing could not be worse. Los Blancos are at a breaking point, both emotionally and tactically.
