‘I spoke to Jude Bellingham before the game and we said we’d exchange shirts at the end – but we got a surprise win at the Bernabeu, so I left him alone’ Max Aarons on going up against Real Madrid and Barcelona last season

Max Aarons’ career path took something of a left turn back in January, when the right-back swapped the Bournemouth bench for La Liga side Valencia.

After impressing in his first season at Bournemouth following his £7million move from Norwich City in August 2023, injury issues began to derail his progress that had previously seen him rated as one of the Championship’s best defenders and earned him 27 England Under-21 caps.

Aarons’ performances in the English second tier had clearly left an impression on former Huddersfield Town and West Brom boss Carlos Corberan, who came calling shortly after he landed the Valencia job in December 2024.

Aarons recalls how he left Jude Bellingham alone after beating the Real Madrid star

Aarons was signed on a six-month loan deal in the January transfer window and although his time at the Mestella was mainly restricted to the bench, he turned out four times in La Liga and once in the Copa del Rey.

However, these performances included a 2-1 victory over Real Madrid in the Bernabeu, plus two heavy defeats to Barcelona in both the league and cup.

“I loved living out there,” Aarons tells FourFourTwo. “I loved the club, and the people were amazing.

“La Liga really suited me and when I played, it felt really comfortable. It was frustrating because I went to get more minutes and didn’t play as much as I’d have liked, but looking back, I’d do it all again.

“That win over Real Madrid and the experiences against Barcelona, it has made me very strong mentally and technically. To learn from games like that, against those sort of players, it was a great experience.

Aarons’ stint in Spain also meant he was given the chance to reunited with a former England Under-21 team-mate of his at the Bernabeu in the shape of Jude Bellingham.

“I spoke to Jude before the game and we said we’d exchange shirts at the end, but obviously it was a surprise when we won,” Aarons adds.

“I know that feeling when you’ve lost and, especially at Real Madrid, they don’t get that too often, so I left him alone, but we messaged after. It was a pleasure to play against him – what a player he is.