Jude Bellingham: Pep Guardiola Explains Why Real Madrid Star Is Special Ahead of UCL Clash

• Real Madrid and Manchester City will clash later tonight in Spain
• It's the third consecutive season in the UEFA Champions League
• Pep Guardiola has singled out Jude Bellingham for special praises

Pep Guardiola acknowledges that Jude Bellingham is a standout player for Real Madrid ahead of their UEFA Champions League tie against Manchester City and explained why.

City and Madrid will meet for the third consecutive season in the Champions League knockout stage after they were drawn against each other in the quarter-final.

The first leg will be held later tonight at the Santiago Bernabeu, while the return leg will be held a week later at Etihad Stadium, the home of the defending champions.

The winners of the previous two semi-final meetings between the two sides won the competition, Madrid for a record-extending 14th time in 2022 and City for the first time in 2023.

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Guardiola praises Jude Bellingham

Pep Guardiola, speaking during his pre-match conference as quoted by Goal, named Bellingham as the standout player for their opponent this season and explained why.

“He played when he was 17 with Dortmund, and I said it was not just his skills but the difference in what he has in his brain and his mind,” Pep said of the 20-year-old.

The former Barcelona boss also adulated Carlo Ancelotti for finding the right position to help the English midfielder thrive and needing no time to settle into the team.

“He's had an incredible season in terms of goals, assists, and his presence in the box. Not just with Madrid but with the England national team, he has been brilliant. At just 19 or 20, he has a long career ahead of him,” he added.

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Per UEFA.com, his first goal in the competition came at the same stage against Guardiola's side in 2021, during his time at Borussia Dortmund, thus becoming the youngest English scorer.

He has notched 20 goals and 10 assists in 32 games in his first year as a Madrid player.

Rudiger fires warning to Haaland

Sports Brief reported on Antonio Rudiger warning Erling Haaland ahead of the game later tonight, with both players set to be in a direct battle in the match.

The Real Madrid defender said he and his teammates would try to stop the Norwegian striker and admitted that it was personal against top forwards for him.