JUDE BELLINGHAM has revealed what Lisandro Martinez said to him after the Argentine’s nasty tackle on the England ace sparked an ugly melee.
Bellingham was on the scoresheet as Real Madrid beat Manchester United 2-0 in the Houston friendly.
Jude Bellingham has revealed what Lisandro Martinez said after sparking an ugly melee
Bellingham was left fuming after an ugly challenge from the Man Utd star
The pair collided as Bellingham scored in Real Madrid’s 2-0 friendly win
But tempers flared during a fiery encounter, with Bellingham reacting angrily after being clattered by Martinez several times.
And after one particularly bad challenge, the pair squared up to each other on the pitch as United and Real team-mates sprinted over and became involved in a melee.
Bellingham and Martinez, who is nicknamed The Butcher of Amsterdam from his time at Ajax, were then seen talking again as the latter was subbed off later on.
But the midfielder says their argument is now water under the bridge, admitting he has “huge respect” for Martinez thanks to an unexpected post-match bromance.
Bellingham declared: “The little tiff with Martinez is one of those things. He is a brilliant player.
“I came in at half-time and I was f’ing this and f’ing that. But when he came over to wish me all the best when he came off, I really respected it.
“I know what goes on the pitch stays on the pitch. I saw him at the end of the game and wished him well.
“I can respect that when two players are trying to win their team and can come together and be respectful after the game.
“He is a great competitor and a great player. Just like me, he wants to win. Sometimes it spills over.
“That is part of the game. I am really respectful. We can have that moment after the game.”
Bellingham was awarded man-of-the-match for his dazzling performance.
He added: “I look like I am enjoying it, I like to think. So far, so good. I am enjoying playing with this team, learning from so many great players.
“I am definitely not getting carried away just yet. There are big challenges to come this season.
“I was confident coming here because I knew how good the players were. I know the qualities I can bring and I feel like I have slotted in..
“There is a lot to aim for and rightly so. It is the biggest club with the best players.
“The expectations are high as they should be. It is about us going out there and matching that.
“The standards that are set and the way everyone applies themselves in training, the mentality day in day out. I enjoy that.”
Karim Benzema wears £435k Richard Mille watch at Ballon d’Or ceremony
Karim Benzema rocked up to the glitzy Ballon d’Or ceremony wearing a watch worth a whopping £435,000.
Meanwhile his humble rival Robert Lewandowski had a cheap £52 Casio number strapped to his wrist.
Karim Benzema wore a watch worth a reported £435,000 to the Ballon d’Or ceremony
Robert Lewandowski’s watch is worth just £52
Lewandowski arrived at the awards alongside stunning wife Anna
Benzema was joined by American model and former Hooters employee Jordan Ozuna
According to the Spanish publication Marca, Benzema’s jewelry is valued close to 500,000 pounds.
On Monday night, the 34-year-old looked sharp as he flew to France for the awards ceremony. He arrived without his girlfriend Jordan Ozuna.
When Benzema of Real Madrid won the Ballon d’Or, he had the opportunity to display his posh Richard Mille watch live on stage.
It marked the end of a spectacular trip for Benzema, who had previously been barred from the national team and put on trial for his alleged involvement in sex tape blackmailing Mathieu Valbuena.
Additionally, the RM 65-01 Richard Mille timepiece he wore is advertised as “the most complex timepiece ever to leave the Richard Mille workshops” and as a result, it is quite expensive.
But with Benzema’s staggering weekly salary of £275k, as reported by Salary Sport, it would only take him under TWO WEEKS to save enough for the watch.
According to Celebrity Net Worth, the French striker has a net worth of £62.5 million, so he made sure his jewellery stood out at the formal occasion.
Rival for the Ballon d’Or and Barcelona’s Benzema chose to keep things straightforward.
Lewandowski arrived with his wife Anna sporting a £52 Casio watch.
Although he took a wage reduction to move to Barcelona, the 34-year-old dessert enthusiast still reportedly makes £150,000 per week.
He is said to have a net worth of £75 million, which is more than Benzema, and could easily afford to purchase a watch that is on par with Benzema’s.
The two competed against one another on the field last weekend before doing so once more the following day for the Ballon d’Or prize.
And Benzema triumphed on both occasions.
Sunday’s El Clasico saw Real Madrid defeat Barcelona 3-1, although Lewandowski could only manage to place fourth overall for the coveted award.
Despite winning the Muller Trophy, which is given to the player with the most goals scored in a given year.
Benzema was crowned 2022 Ballon d’Or winner
Lewandowski scooped the prestigious Muller Trophy