Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has insisted there was no risk to playing Jude Bellingham in their dead-rubber Champions League win over Union Berlin.
Having already topped their group, Los Blancos played the England international for the full 90 minutes in Germany despite fears over an ongoing ankle and shoulder injuries.
Last week, Ancelotti admitted that Bellingham is having to manage his shoulder after dislocating it in early November. However, he was deemed fit for Tuesday night's game and impressed as he assisted Dani Ceballos' late winner.
Although there was a sour note in his performance as he earned a yellow card for arguing with Berlin's Rani Khedira in the first half, leaving him one booking away from a suspension in the Champions League knockouts.
"It was a silly yellow card," Ancelotti told reporters.
"There was no physical risk [to Bellingham], because he is very well.
Bellingham 🤝 Ceballos
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Real Madrid lead yet again, what a game... 🤯 pic.twitter.com/cyTPRBredy
"He has helped us a lot. The only change we prepared was [Toni] Kroos for [Fede] Valverde."
Madrid fell behind in Berlin shortly after Luka Modric missed a penalty but recovered courtesy of a brace from Joselu, who earned special praise from his coach at full-time.
"It was a bit of a strange game," the Italian summarised. "It was well controlled for 40 minutes and in two crazy minutes they made it difficult for us.
"In the second half we tried to be a little more effective, we came more from the wings to make crosses because we have a very good player in the air, he scored two goals with his head, and we had not done that in the first half.
"We tried to play more inside where there was less space, but when you have a forward like Joselu you have to put in more crosses. If you have a player like that, you have to know take advantage of it."
