Bayern Munich’s boss praises Real Madrid’s star ahead of Champions League showdown
The two European giants will lock horns at Allianz Arena on Tuesday
Bayern Munich head coach Thomas Tuchel lauded Real Madrid’s star Jude Bellingham ahead of their UEFA Champions League (UCL) semi-final at Allianz Arena on Tuesday.
Bayern will host Madrid in one of the most anticipated matches of the season as the two European giants will meet one another for the first time since 2018 when the Los Blancos defeated the Bavarians in the 2017/18 UCL semi-final and went on to win the final.
Bellingham has been Madrid’s best player without a shadow of a doubt as the English international has scored 21 goals and provided 10 assists in his debut season with Los Blancos. He also scored the last-minute winner against Barcelona on April 22 at Santiago Bernabeu.
Tuchel lauded Bellingham saying he has always been a great player. The German then stated that playing for Madrid comes with great pressure and he does that perfectly.
“Jude is extraordinary… He was fantastic here in the Bundesliga, how he progressed shows the level of personality he has, it’s only possible with a huge personality,” Tuchel said during the pre-match presser.
“Everyone who plays for Madrid plays with the pressure of the shirt. He plays with the pressure to play with this club and all the expectations.
“He handles it like he’s never done anything else. But we are well aware of it and will try and find solutions.”
Meanwhile, Madrid’s boss Carlo Ancelotti also addressed a press conference along with his player Fede Valverde. The Uruguayan hailed Bayern’s Jamal Musiala who emerged as one of the best exciting talents in recent times.
“He [Musiala] is a huge footballer, who has achieved something very big in a short time and I predict something big for him [in the future]. But hopefully tomorrow we will beat Bayern. He is marking an era in this club and in football. And he’s going to continue doing it,” Valverde said.
“In the Champions League, all the teams deserve respect, and all the games are very complicated. But we have a lot of quality, dedication and desire to play; let the people know that, too.”
