Athletic Club 2-1 Real Madrid: Jude Bellingham scores but Real Madrid lose in La Liga

Jude Bellingham’s fourth goal in four games was not enough to prevent Real Madrid from slumping to their second La Liga defeat in a riveting encounter at Athletic Club.

The England midfielder drew Carlo Ancelotti’s side level in the 78th minute after reacting first to a poor save from Julen Agirrezabala.

Athletic Club moved up the pitch, however, and an uncharacteristic error from Federico Valverde sent Gorka Guruzeta through on goal and he coolly slotted past Thibaut Courtois.

Before Bellingham’s equaliser, Kylian Mbappe had the chance to equalize from the spot after Agirrezabala fouled Antonio Rudiger, but the Frenchman’s penalty was well saved – as was the case in last week’s Champions League defeat to Liverpool.

“He is not at his best, but you have to give him time to adapt. He has scored 10 goals and is working to do better,” Ancelotti said after Wednesday’s defeat.

“I haven’t spoken to him. It was a complicated game – competitive even. When we got the equaliser, we could find ourselves in control and little details punished us tonight.

“We missed the penalty. I don’t need to evaluate a player’s game because of a penalty that is sometimes scored and sometimes missed. Obviously he is disappointed but we have to continue.”

It was a tough moment for Mbappe to endure at Anfield as his side slumped to a 2-0 defeat, but a goal on Sunday was the Frenchman’s eighth in the league and provided a platform to build on after a shaky start to life in Spain .

But his display at San Mames showed that there is still plenty of work for Real’s coaching staff to do if they are to fully integrate Mbappe into the European champions’ way of working.

Despite the absence of Vinicius Junior on the left, Mbappe started in his unfavorable central role and often found himself drifting wide – leaving huge gaps in Real’s attacking play.

There have been glimpses of Mbappe in full flow, but they have been few and far between since his summer move from Paris St-Germain.

The hosts had taken the lead eight minutes into the second half through a neat Alex Berenguer finish from a sumptuous cross from Nico Williams.

Real pressed hard in the final minutes for an equalizer with Mbappe going close, but Ernesto Valverde’s side held on to send the San Mames Stadium wild.

Their second defeat of the La Liga season means Ancelotti’s side remain four points off leaders Barcelona with a game in hand.

Athletic Club’s first league win over Real since March 2015 moves them three points behind third-placed Atletico Madrid.