Man City host Real Madrid in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie on Wednesday and speaking ahead of that clash, Pep Guardiola has been full of praise for the “exceptional ” Jude Bellingham.
The two teams will meet at the Etihad Stadium with the tie level at 3-3 following last week’s thrilling clash at the Bernabeu.
Bellingham didn’t have his best game for the La Liga side that night but overall the Englishman’s move to Spain has been a major success.
Man City were one club in the running to sign the midfielder last summer with Guardiola reportedly to have had a three-hour conversation with the 20-year-old to convince him to join the Premier League champions.
That did not work as Bellingham opted for Real Madrid but that did not stop the Man City boss from speaking highly of the player ahead of their meeting on Wednesday.
“Bellingham shows playing at a top club like Madrid or Barcelona it is not easy to settle quick and he settled even quicker,” Guardiola said via the BBC during his press conference on Tuesday.
“From the beginning, his impact was huge in terms of goals, presence and many things. At his age, he feels and handles the pressure without a problem, he has a good mentality and is an exceptional player. We have to control him and take a look at what he does.”
Jude Bellingham looking to have his best night in a Real Madrid shirt
Bellingham has already had a major impact on Real Madrid’s season with his 20 goals and 10 assists across 34 games in all competions helping the La Liga giants sit top of the table in Spain and reach the last eight of the Champions League.
Although the Englishman is guaranteed a La Liga medal, the midfielder will want to win his first Champions League title also.
In order to do that, the 20-year-old will need to put in a massive shift at the Etihad to overcome the defending champions and Bellingham will be looking to have his best night in a Real Madrid shirt.
