Jude Bellingham emulates Steven Gerrard with sublime assist as Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti vows to fight LaLiga ban
Jude Bellingham yet again stepped up for Real Madrid to help drag them through to the Champions League quarter-finals.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side were incredibly lacklustre in their last-16 tie with RB Leipzig where they were lucky to come away 1-0 winners in the first leg, before struggling in the reverse leg at the Bernabeu.
4
Dominated in the shot department at 20 vs 11, on another night, Lois Openda would have had a hat-trick for Leipzig in Tuesday night's 1-1 draw.
Instead, Bellingham exploited his profligacy midway through the second half, picking up the ball just outside his own area, before carrying it to the other box and brilliantly supplying a perfect assist for Vinicius Jr to fire in.
In doing so, he reached another incredible milestone of chipping in with four goals and as many assists in the Champions League this season.
This has seen him become the only English player to do so other than his hero Steven Gerrard in the 2007/08 campaign, and David Beckham in 2001/02.
read more on jude bellingham
On those occasions, Gerrard and Beckham both reached a combined ten goal involvements, and there’s every chance Bellingham could beat that record if Madrid improve things in Europe.
Domestically, though, they look set to be without their star midfielder for two games.
Madrid’s last LaLiga match saw the referee blow his full-time whistle while the ball was being crossed in for Bellingham to head in what he thought was a match-winner against Valencia.
Realising he’d ran out of time and the game had been called at 2-2, Bellingham was one of a number of players who lost their cool with referee Jesus Gil Manzano.
Most read in Champions League
4
4
4
Reportedly telling the official ‘it’s a f***** goal’, Bellingham instantly earned himself a straight red card and a two-game ban.
Ancelotti was seen angry with his 20-year-old star on pitch, but instantly flipped his outrage towards the referee after getting an explanation.
Emmanuel Petit insists Jude Bellingham is ahead of Kylian Mbappe and Harry Kane, and is the best player in world football right now
Further defending Bellingham, the Italian has said Madrid will appeal the suspension.
"We are going to appeal it because it seems unfair to us,” he said.
“Two games of suspension, we are going to see what happens. There are many things that happened today and we will talk after the game.”
Bellingham is scheduled to miss the matches against Celta Vigo and Osasuna.
Both games are easy wins for LaLiga’s leaders on paper, but on current form anything is possible - particularly without their English megastar.
Topics