Tomás Roncero says what many think about Jude Bellingham: 'No...'

The big surprise of last night's match between Olympiacos and Real Madrid was, without a doubt, Jude Bellingham's absence from the starting line-up. On paper, the English international was expected to start behind Mbappé in the attacking midfield. However, just a few hours before kickoff, the club announced that the "5" wasn't in optimal condition to start the match.

For that reason, Jude Bellingham began on the bench and Xabi Alonso decided to go with Arda Güler as the link between midfield and attack. The choice couldn't have been more successful, as the Turkish footballer delivered a true masterclass during his time on the field. He took control of the match with surprising maturity and understood perfectly that Real Madrid needed to attack the spaces and speed up the tempo to hurt Olympiacos.

Arda Güler shows up Jude Bellingham

Arda Güler, with his technical finesse and exceptional vision, linked up brilliantly with Mbappé and Vinícius, constantly creating dangerous situations. He was, without a doubt, one of the main architects of the best attacking version Real Madrid has shown in weeks. His performance confirmed the total trust Xabi Alonso has placed in him and made it clear that he's ready to take on responsibility on tough nights.

However, even though Jude Bellingham was dealing with discomfort and wasn't at full fitness, Xabi Alonso decided to bring him on in the second half. The coach's intention was to regain control and presence in the middle, but the move didn't work out as expected. With his entrance onto the field, Real Madrid lost fluidity, became disorganized in attack, and allowed Olympiacos to get back into the match with relative ease.

Tomás Roncero speaks out on Jude Bellingham

Tomás Roncero, always alert and outspoken, analyzed the situation as soon as the match ended. In his opinion, bringing on Jude Bellingham was an obvious mistake conditioned by his physical state. "He wasn't ready to play", Roncero stated emphatically, making it clear that the Englishman didn't have enough rhythm to compete at the highest level after being left out of the starting line-up due to discomfort.

Tomás Roncero went even further by pointing out that the substitution hurt Real Madrid and cut off the inspiration of an Arda Güler who was clearly the best. In his view, Xabi Alonso should've kept the Turkish footballer on the field and avoided unnecessary risks with Jude Bellingham, whose performance was very discreet.

In any case, Tomás Roncero wanted to absolve the British midfielder, insisting that "he wasn't ready to play".  The responsibility lies more with Xabi Alonso's decision than with the footballer himself. Last night made it clear that Jude Bellingham remains a key player, but his impact depends directly on his physical condition.

The debate is on, so now Real Madrid will have to decide whether it's wise to take better care of Jude Bellingham to avoid repeating situations like the one experienced in Greece. Meanwhile, Arda Güler has seized his opportunity and sends a clear message: he deserves more prominence.