Real Madrid are a different team compared to last season thanks to the “evident” impact of midfielder Jude Bellingham, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said after his side faced the LaLiga club in the quarter-finals of the Champions League on Friday.
Defending champions City beat the 14-time Champions League winners in the competition's semi-finals last season, drawing 1-1 at the Bernabeu and claiming a convincing 4-0 win at the Etihad in the match. back.
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Bellingham, who joined Real from Borussia Dortmund in July for a fee of around €103 million ($112.1 million), has scored 20 goals and nine assists for the Spanish team in all competitions this season. .
When asked about the midfielder's exploits, Guardiola told reporters on Friday: “[Bellingham’s] The impact has been enormous. It is a different team than last season. Its influence is evident and we have to try to discover what it does to control it.
“Facing Real Madrid is always a difficult challenge, no one 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 more we can preserve our moments, the closer we will be. We will try to do a good performance in Madrid and then here, with our people, do it.” again.”
The first legs of the Champions League quarterfinals will be played from April 9 to 10 and the second legs on April 16 and 17.
City will play Newcastle United in the FA Cup quarter-finals on Saturday and will face Arsenal in the Premier League after the international break.
