Xabi Alonso praises Bellingham as he scores first goal of the season against Juventus
Xabi Alonso thinks Bellingham is "one of the most complete players in the world".
Jude Bellingham scored the winner goal in a very contested Champions League duel between Real Madrid and Juventus, a true European Classic, even if Juventus is far from being at their best right now, seventh in Serie A (they last won Italian league in 2020), and with only 2/9 points in Champions League table.
The 1-0 result could have been much different had not been for stellar performances of both goalkeepers, Thibaut Courtois and Di Gregorio. But in the end, the hosts created many more chances, and the goal came after a great shot by Vinícius: the ball struck the post and Bellingham took the rebound and pushed it to the net, a goal very similar to those he scored in his first season at Real Madrid, more than pure skill, a display of astuteness and being attentive.
This is his first goal for Real Madrid this season, having missed the first five games of the season due to having surgery in his shoulder, after an injury he suffered in November 2023. The Englishman had played mostly as a substitute this season so far under Xabi Alonso's command, with many pointing that Alonso made a mistake when he used Bellingham as a starter in the 5-2 defeat against Atlético de Madrid in late September, when the player wasn't in his best physical condition.
However, Alonso now fully trusts Bellingham (who was also left out from the second international break for Thomas Tuchel's England, something that sparked some debate) for next Sunday's Clásico against Barcelona. "He's giving such good sensations with how competitive he is and how he creates dangerous situations. He's got the skill and the instincts to be at the business end of the pitch but he's a box-to-box player, too. He's one of the most complete players in the world", the Real Madrid coach said.
