No one could imagine his adaptation here, to this club and this football. It is surprising to fans, team-mates and even rivals
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has compared midfielder Jude Bellingham to former Galactico Zinedine Zidane.
Bellingham scored Madrid’s second goal against Napoli as Ancelotti’s men eased to a 4-2 victory in tonight’s Champions League encounter at the Bernabeu.
After securing top spot in Group C, Ancelotti said: “It is difficult to compare two different generations.
“What I see differently is an arrival inside the area that Zidane did not have and an individual quality from Zidane that Bellingham does not have.
“There is the difference but this is modern football, which wants physically strong players like Bellingham, capable of covering the entire field very quickly.”
England international Bellingham, 20, joined Real from Borussia Dortmund for £88.5million in June.
He has since scored 15 goals in only 16 outings for the LaLiga giants.
Ancelotti added: “No one could imagine his adaptation here, to this club and this football. It is surprising to fans, team-mates and even rivals.
“He is spectacular when he arrives in the area. He is a gift for football. He has great talent.
“He is a modern player, ideal for today’s football, with intensity and the ability.
“He is a serious, professional young man who has adapted very well to the locker room.
“He has to improve his Spanish. As I have said many times, no one is perfect.
“It has been a spectacular signing for the club.”
Rodrygo, Nico Paz and Joselu also added their names to the scoresheet in the Spanish capital for the hosts, who fell behind to Giovanni Simeone’s opener.
Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa had levelled the tie at 2-2 after 47 minutes but Real netted twice in the closing stages to secure the three points.
Los Blancos return to domestic action when they entertain Granada on Saturday.
Livescore.com