Pep Guardiola says Jude Bellingham has had a "massive" impact on Real Madrid ahead of Manchester City's Champions League tie with the European giants.
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Man City to face Madrid in UCLBellingham starring for Real Guardiola praises midfielder (C)GettyImagesWHAT HAPPENED?
Guardiola's City will face Los Blancos in the quarter-finals of the Champions League in a rematch of last season's semi-final, where the Premier League outfit won 5-1 on aggregate. Ahead of that heavyweight encounter, manager Guardiola has lauded the displays of England international Bellingham – who has scored 20 goals and bagged nine assists at the Spanish side this season.
Advertisement(C)GettyImagesWHAT PEP GUARDIOLA SAID
When speaking to reporters, the Spaniard said: "[Bellingham's] impact has been massive. It's a different team from last season. His influence is obvious, and we have to try to discover what he does to control it. Facing Real Madrid is always a tough challenge, nobody can deny it. They are an exceptional club, and in this competition, they can control many things with the experience they have in the past. Like last season there will be moments for them and moments for us. The longer we can keep our moments, we'll be closer. We'll try to do a good performance in Madrid and then here, with our people, do it again."
GettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE
City romped into the final of the Champions League last season, before edging out Inter Milan to lift the famous trophy for the first time, but Guardiola knows Madrid will pose a different threat this time out. Both teams are looking to win multiple trophies this season and this tie could play a big part in how they fare in the final stretch of the campaign.
WHAT NEXT?
The two heavyweight teams will lock horns in the first leg at the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday, April 9, before Guardiola's defending champions entertain Carlo Ancelotti's side at the Etihad the week after.
