UCL 2022-23: Guardiola all-praise for Dortmund's Bellingham as City edges past

English champion Manchester City is off to a flyer in the UEFA Champions League (UCL) 2022-23, winning its opening two group stage matches. On Wednesday, it won its second game, edging past 2-1 against German giants Borussia Dortmund at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester. While Jude Bellingham (58) opened the proceedings for the visitors, the hosts bounced back, with John Stones (80) and Erling Haaland (84), while the latter continued his immaculate run of scoring in every City match so far. Surprisingly, Cityzens' head coach Pep Guardiola was impressed with Bellingham's performance after the victory, stating that he was already ingrained with the midfielder a couple of seasons ago.

Talking to the media after the success, Guardiola declared, "I was impressed two seasons ago when he was 17. Now, he's 19... he was good at 17. Imagine now at 19. He's able to follow [Ilkay] Gundogan, Kevin [De Bruyne], win the duels, transitions are fast, to have the sense in the box for the goal he scored. So yes, an exceptional player. I think everybody knows it, not because the manager of Manchester City says it, everybody knows it."

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Bellingham has scored four UCL goals, which is the most by an English teenager to date while having played 18 matches in the tournament is also an English record by a player aged below 20. A couple of his UCL goals have come against City after he scored against the side during the 2020-21 edition's quarters.

Bellingham's performance was also highlighted by BVB manager Edin Terzic, who recorded, "Jude, like all the other players, gave a great performance in offensive and defensive terms. He blocked many passes and crosses and got forward… once again, he was terrific against Manchester City."