Reason dressing room were glad Jude Bellingham left, England problems, Real Madrid scrap

Jude Bellingham is looking to write another chapter in his already storied career when Los Blancos take on Arsenal in the second leg of their quarter-final. The first leg at the Emirates Stadium saw from , with his side suffering a 3-0 defeat - and the Englishman conceded afterwards that the 15-time champions were lucky not to have conceded more.

Despite being only 21, Bellingham has already earned a reputation as a big-game player and a leader on the pitch, known for delivering in big moments for both club and country. His last-minute that kept England in Euro 2024, along with in his debut season, are proof of that.

But the same strong personality that has led some to see Bellingham as a future England captain has also reportedly caused tension in the dressing room at times, with the 2023 Golden Boy winner's strong character occasionally crossing the line. That was clear in the run-up to Wednesday's Champions League showdown with Arsenal when he allegedly had with a Real Madrid teammate.

We will now delve into that particular incident, as well as other instances where Bellingham has come under scrutiny and allegedly caused issues behind the scenes.

Dortmund 'glad to see back' of Jude

Borussia Dortmund was where Bellingham transformed from an prodigious 17-year-old into a world-class midfielder, tallying up 49 goals and assists across three seasons with a Bundesliga title only just eluding him in his last year. However, reported that some at the Westfalenstadion were "glad to see the back of him" following his eye-watering £95million transfer to Real Madrid.

According to the report, certain members of his former team had taken issue with some of his behaviours, like lingering on the pitch to relish the fans' cheers after the rest of the Dortmund squad had already left. It's been noted that Bellingham would often remain behind during team celebrations to bask in the adulation on his own.

Another point of contention raised was a supposed lack of respect towards teammates and his use of harsh language, with one incident where he slammed Nico Schulz against Rangers in 2022 being a well-known example. Despite being fast-tracked into Dortmund's leadership group, Bild claims there were feelings among some players that he didn't always fulfil his role as an approachable figure for his teammates effectively.

England dressing room problems

While he is clearly one of England's most gifted stars, reports that similar issues have followed Bellingham to the national team set-up. It's claimed that, apart from Trent Alexander-Arnold, Bellingham has struggled to foster strong connections with many of his England colleagues.

England legend Wayne Rooney weighed in on Bellingham's seemingly individualistic approach during Euro 2024, pointing out that the young star was too quick to show frustration towards team-mates, particularly during the match against Slovenia. Despite being part of the leadership group with Harry Kane, Kyle Walker, and Declan Rice, similar to his role at Dortmund, Bellingham shirked certain media responsibilities outside the mandatory rotation at Euro 2024, leaving less high-profile squad members to step in.

Rooney voiced his thoughts in , saying: "It may be time to grow up, make decisions and say, 'I need to help out and speak during the difficult times'. Because if England win these Euros, I'm sure you'll see him doing interviews."

Ugly Real Madrid bust-up

Carlo Ancelotti's side are hoping to carry out a historic comeback against Arsenal this Wednesday. However, their preparations were disrupted by a reported training ground altercation involving Bellingham and team-mate Antonio Rudiger.

Bellingham, who had been rested for Real's La Liga game at Alaves, was on the receiving end of a hefty challenge from the German defender during a small-sided game last Friday. El Chiringuito reports that he reacted angrily, confronting Rudiger and allegedly hurling an insult before they "had to be separated" by other Madrid stars.

However, the flashpoint does not seem to have escalated, being considered a typical part of life at a major club, particularly before such a high-stakes Champions League night. Both Bellingham and Rudiger are expected to return to the starting line-up against Arsenal.