Jude Bellingham shines as Real Madrid triumphs over Napoli in thrilling clash

Posted : 04 October 2023

Jude Bellingham's star continued to shine brightly for Real Madrid as he played a pivotal role in their victory over Italian champions Napoli at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in the Champions League.

In this thrilling encounter, the England midfielder displayed his brilliance with a stunning solo effort. Bellingham initiated his run from 40 yards out, dribbling deep into Napoli's defensive third. Skillfully maneuvering through their backline, he elegantly curled the ball into the bottom right corner, giving Real a 2-1 lead at halftime.

The scoring had commenced with Napoli's defender Leo Ostigard finding the net in the 19th minute, heading in the rebound after Natan's attempt struck the crossbar. However, Real struck back when Vinicius Jr capitalized on a pass from Bellingham, leveling the score.

Napoli started the second half with determination, eventually equalizing through Piotr Zielinski's penalty. Initially, referee Clement Turpin had not awarded the penalty when Victor Osimhen's shot was blocked by Nacho Fernandez. Following a VAR review, Turpin reversed his decision after consulting the pitchside monitor.

The decisive moment arrived just over 10 minutes from the final whistle when Federico Valverde's thunderous shot hit the crossbar and deflected in off goalkeeper Alex Meret.

This victory propelled Carlo Ancelotti's team to the top of Group C with six points from their first two matches, having previously defeated Union Berlin 1-0. Napoli, who had maintained an impressive 14-game unbeaten streak at home in the Champions League, now sit in second place, ahead of Braga on head-to-head record after defeating the Portuguese side 2-1 last month. Braga, in turn, came from two goals down to win 3-2 against Union Berlin earlier on Tuesday.

Both Real Madrid and Napoli, having reached the semi-finals of the Champions League last season, demonstrated their potential for another deep run in the competition. Under the management of Rudi Garcia, Napoli started the match energetically, pressing high up the field and forcing Real into turnovers. However, they couldn't maintain that intensity, allowing Real to claw their way back into the contest.

Jude Bellingham, a former Birmingham City midfielder, continued to captivate with his remarkable skills and versatility. Since joining Real Madrid in the summer, he has showcased his ability to score a wide range of goals, with his solo effort against Napoli ranking among the best in his career.

Jude Bellingham shines as Real Madrid triumphs over Napoli in thrilling clash

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Jude Bellingham shines as Real Madrid triumphs over Napoli in thrilling clash