Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham has firmly played down suggestions of a rift between the attacking players at Bernabeu, with Los Blancos yet to hit top gear early in the season.
Bellingham was Real Madrid's most influential player during the 2023-24 campaign, scoring 23 goals and registering 13 assists in 42 appearances in all competitions, having arrived from Borussia Dortmund last summer.
The England international played as a number 10 last season, but he will be in a deeper role this term due to the arrival of Kylian Mbappe on a free transfer.
Mbappe prefers to operate off the left, but he has been used through the middle since arriving at Bernabeu, with Vinicius Junior down the left and Rodrygo on the opposite side.
Real Madrid are unbeaten in their seven games across three separate competitions this season, winning their last three, including their Champions League opener against Stuttgart.
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Mbappe is Real Madrid's top goalscorer this season
Mbappe has scored five times in seven appearances for Carlo Ancelotti's side this season, while Vinicius has two goals and four assists, and Rodrygo one goal and two assists, with the two Brazilians also featuring in all of their team's matches in 2024-25.
Bellingham is yet to score this term, but he has been restricted to just three appearances through injury, making his comeback in Tuesday's 3-1 win over Stuttgart in the Champions League.
There have been rumours of discontent between the attacking players at Bernabeu, but Bellingham has insisted that is simply not the case, branding them "very good friends on and off the pitch".
"I saw on social media that they are trying to create something negative between me, Mbappe, Rodrygo and Vinicius," Bellingham told reporters. "The only truth is that we are very good friends on and off the pitch."
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Bellingham hails Mbappe impact at Real Madrid
Discussing Mbappe, the Englishman added: "It's what he does, I'm not surprised at all. I didn't even realise it was his debut, I just thought it was another game he would score in.
"He always delivers so far, it's a lot of pressure coming to a club like Madrid, but he's taken to it really easily and the lads love him already. He's going to be a huge player for us, this season and beyond."
Mbappe did not register in his first three La Liga appearances for Real Madrid, but he has now scored three times in his last two outings against Real Betis and Real Sociedad.
Los Blancos will be bidding to make it four straight wins in all competitions when they resume their La Liga campaign against Espanyol on Saturday night.
Ancelotti's side will then tackle Alaves and Atletico Madrid in Spain's top flight, before returning to Champions League action away to French outfit Lille in their first match of October.
Matt Law
