Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has given a strong indication that Jude Bellingham will be fit to start Sunday’s Supercopa de Espana final against arch-rivals Barcelona.

Bellingham gave Madrid the go-ahead goal against Mallorca in an eventual 3-0 semi-final win in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, but appeared to be struggling with a muscle injury towards the end of the game.

The England midfielder looked to be in some discomfort, fuelling speculation that he could miss the heavyweight clash with Barcelona – they saw off Athletic Club 2-0 in their semi-final thanks to goals from Gavi and Lamine Yamal – but Ancelotti’s words in his pre-match press conference suggests supporters have nothing to worry about.

“He’s recovered well, he finished the game with a bit of a strain,” Ancelotti mused. “He’s having a great run and feels good. He’s a player who’s made the difference for us in recent games.”

The Italian went on to discuss the challenge of trying to win a Clasico clash against Barcelona – something his side failed to do earlier this season. Indeed, Madrid were humiliated on their own patch in October, losing 4-0 in front of a shell-shocked Santiago Bernabeu faithful.

“In these games, quality becomes more important than the balance of the team, individual moments outweigh the collective display,” Ancelotti remarked. “There is huge individual on the pitch which can be more important than the collective, especially when it comes to defence. Balance and teamwork will be very important tomorrow though – if you defend well, you have a greater chance of winning the game.”

On the significance of winning the Supercopa de Espana, the five-time European Cup winner added “whenever we’ve won, we’ve gone on to have a great season, whereas whenever we’ve lost it, we typically haven’t won La Liga or the Champions League. It’s a competition that brings added motivation and sets you on a strong path to continue with the rest of the season.”