Jude Bellingham equalled certainly one of Lionel Messi’s Champions League feats with a surprise help in ’s 5-1 thrashing of Crimson Bull Salzburg.
The England worldwide was key within the Spanish aspect’s much-needed victory, helping Brazilian winger Rodrygo twice within the opening 40 minutes to get the rout underway on the Bernabeu.
Nonetheless, it was the second help which was essentially the most memorable with the 21-year-old finishing an audacious back-heel which reduce by way of Salzburg’s defence and allowed Rodrygo to twist into the far nook within the thirty fourth minute to place Madrid 2-0 up.
These two assists pushed on a par with eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi for Champions League aim contributions for gamers aged 21 and below with the England midfielder now reaching 24 (11 targets and 13 assists). On the similar age, Messi had recorded 17 targets and 7 assists for Barcelona. Bellingham and Messi are joint third on the listing.
Manchester Metropolis’s Erling Haaland is second with 26 contributions whereas Bellingham’s Madrid team-mate Kylian Mbappe, who scored twice within the sport towards Salzburg, holds the report with 37 contributions.
Bellingham’s up-turn in type has coincided with Actual’s enchancment as a staff, after noticed them falter in La Liga and the Champions League. Defeats by AC Milan and Liverpool has left the reigning champions loitering within the play-off locations however the victory towards Salzburg furthers their possibilities of computerized qualification to the knockout levels.
The three factors moved them as much as sixteenth within the desk however they’re only one level exterior the highest eight forward of their remaining group fixture towards Brest so might nonetheless attain the automated development locations.
Nonetheless, Ancelotti believes it’s almost unimaginable for Actual Madrid to attain as they might want to depend on outcomes elsewhere. “I believe it’s very difficult, nearly unimaginable to complete within the prime eight,” Ancelotti stated.
“There’s a lot high quality up entrance, we are going to by no means have issues scoring targets. We’ve to enhance defensively; that’s the important thing to being profitable.”