‘Jude’s extraordinary’

Madrid’s Jude Bellingham trains in Madrid on Sunday. Pic/Getty Images

Bayern Munich manager Thomas Tuchel said Monday his side were ready for the threat posed by "extraordinary" Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham in their home Champions League semi-final, first leg.

Tuesday's clash between 14-time winners Real and Bayern, with six Champions League titles, is the most played semi-final in the competition's history. England midfielder Bellingham, still just 20, joined Real Madrid before the start of the season from Borussia Dortmund.

Bellingham has since become one of Real's most important players and is already considered among the world's best. He is their top goal scorer in the league this season with 17 goals, despite playing mostly as midfielder.

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Thomas Tuchel

Tuchel said Bellingham was "a key player in a very offensive position" for the Spanish giants. "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.

"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," said Tuchel. "But we are well aware of it and will try and find solutions tomorrow [Tuesday]," he added.

Tuchel said Bayern would host not only the Spanish champions elect, but "an aura, a legend that surrounds them."

The coach, who won the Champions League with Chelsea in 2021 having taken Paris Saint-Germain to the final the previous season, said Real were not the only team with experience in the competition. "Not only me but the team has experience. Right now we have a good mix between anticipation and tension," he said.

Eight members of Bayern's current squad were on the opposite side to Tuchel's PSG when Bayern won the 2020 Champions League final. Captain Manuel Neuer and veteran forward Thomas Mueller also won the title at Wembley in 2013. "You need luck, momentum, freedom, the whole package to overcome Real Madrid in the semi-finals," Tuchel added.

"If it only came down to experience, then I wouldn't have a chance," Tuchel said in reference to opposite number Carlo Ancelotti, who has won a record four Champions League titles as a coach.

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