Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has described Jude Bellingham as 'outstanding' after the England midfielder's impressive debut on Saturday.
Bellingham scored in Madrid's 2-0 win over Athletic Club in Bilbao and looked assured in his first competitive match for Los Blancos, winning tackles and driving forward in an all-action display.
"He's a player with a lot of personality," Ancelotti said after the match. "He adapts very quickly to the team's system because he has a strong personality.
"It seems like he has been with us for a long time, he's a player with a very high level."
The Italian went on to add that the 20-year-old, who operated centrally behind the forwards in a four-man midfield, had helped Madrid to feel 'comfortable' in one of Spain's most difficult away venues.
🎶 ¡Esta primera jornada ya tiene banda sonora!@BellinghamJude | #AthleticRealMadrid pic.twitter.com/LPDLcLQ0VZAugust 12, 2023
"Bellingham is outstanding and the team feels comfortable playing that way," he said. "We adapted the defensive aspect and we worked really well on the wings with [Eduardo] Camavinga and [Fede] Valverde."
Rodrygo opened the scoring for Madrid after 28 minutes and Bellingham was on target with a volley hit into the ground following a David Alaba cross eight minutes later.
Next up for Bellingham and Madrid is a trip to Almeria on Saturday.
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Coach Carlo Ancelotti has played down persistent speculation that Real Madrid could sign Kylian Mbappe from Paris Saint-Germain this summer.
But Los Blancos are in talks to sign Kepa Arrizabalaga from Chelsea after Thibaut Courtois suffered a serious injury on Thursday.
And Madrid have been linked with a move for Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus as a replacement for Karim Benzema, who moved to Saudi Arabia earlier this summer.
