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Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti hilariously joked that Jude Bellingham has to improve upon his Spanish after he put in a Player of the Match performance against Napoli. Los Blancos came from behind to secure a 4-2 home win against Napoli in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday, November 29.
Giovanni Simeone gave Napoli the lead in the eighth minute. However, Rodrygo found the top-right corner with a brilliant finish just three minutes later to level the scores. Jude Bellingham continued his stellar run of form, heading the ball into the top-left corner from a David Alaba cross to make it 2-1 in the 22nd minute.
Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa made it 2-2 with a fine volley from close range in the 47th minute. Real Madrid had numerous chances to take the lead and were finally rewarded in the 84th minute via Nico Paz's low finish. Joselu sealed all three points in the 94th minute with a close-range finish following Bellingham's assist.
Jude Bellingham had a phenomenal game and was given a rating of 9.0 (as per FotMob). In addition to his two goal contributions, he completed 63 out of 68 passes with an accuracy of 93%. The 20-year-old also created four big chances, completed all five of his long balls, won seven duels, and landed both his shots on target.
During his post-match press conference, Ancelotti gave his verdict on Bellingham, saying (via Real Madrid's official website):
“He surprises every day and in every game. Not only us but everybody. He's a gift for football. His teammates and the fans are delighted with him and the whole football world, who see a player with this potential and this positive image."
"I hope he can continue like this. I don't want to go into how much money he has cost, but he's been a wonderful signing. We have to bear in mind that he is 20 years old. He's the ideal player for today's football: he has intensity and he covers the field quickly.”
He also jokingly claimed what Bellingham needs to improve upon:
“He's serious, professional and he has adapted very well in the dressing room. He works hard and gets on very well with the others. He needs to improve his Spanish. Nobody's perfect."
Jude Bellingham has been a revelation since signing for Real Madrid over the summer from Borussia Dortmund for a reported fee of €103 million. He has scored 15 goals and provided four assists in 16 appearances across all competitions for the Spanish giants to date.
Real Madrid vs Napoli: Exploring the stats from UCL fixture
Real Madrid were able to overcome Napoli in a 4-2 win at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday. They remain flawless in the Champions League and are at the top of Group C with 15 points from five games. Let's take a look at the stats to see how both teams performed.
Carlo Ancelotti and Co. dominated possession with 53% of the ball. They also attempted a total of 578 passes with an accuracy of 90%. In comparison, Napoli had 47% possession and attempted 518 passes with an accuracy of 88%.
Real Madrid looked a lot more threatening up front and deserved to win on the night, landing a total of 20 shots, with nine being on target. On the other hand, Napoli had 11 shots in total, landing three on target.
