Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham was away from the spotlight during both legs against Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League quarter-final.
In the first leg, the England midfielder was given a rather unusual role, something that the team admitted did not work as planned.
At the Etihad, on Wednesday, the youngster returned to his usual position and played his bit part in the opening goal. After all, it was his pass to Vinicius that eventually resulted in an assist for Rodrygo’s opener.
Eventually, the fan favourite got among the crowd to celebrate his team’s success and his celebration resembled the iconic scene from the Superman movie.
For what it is worth, Bellingham seems to have made quite an impression, shifting the debate to his five-game scoring drought even though he is not a centre-forward.
His decision to join Real Madrid last summer was intended to elevate the team’s quality and contribute to building their future midfield.
However, his remarkable tally of 20 goals and 10 assists has unexpectedly thrust him into the spotlight as Carlo Ancelotti’s main attacking force. Despite being just 20 years old, he has taken on this challenge with remarkable ease and natural ability.
A week after the showdown at the Bernabéu that brought a lot of attention to the Englishman, the midfielder had a chance to make amends at the Etihad and it is safe to say that while he was not at his usual best, he did deliver, despite struggling with physical discomfort.
“It was very difficult. They were constantly with the ball and they didn’t stop moving you. Most teams would have collapsed when they got like this, but we put up with it very well,” said the midfielder after the match.
