Bellingham closes in on Gerrard’s Champions League record after Leipzig assist
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Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham needs two more goals in this campaign's Champions League to match Steven Gerrard's return in the 2007-08 season (Credit: PanoramiC/ABACAPRESS)

Bellingham closes in on Gerrard’s Champions League record after Leipzig assist

Seye Omidiora 01:24 - 07.03.2024

The Real Madrid midfielder’s assist on Wednesday night takes him to four goals and four assists in his debut Champions League campaign with the Spanish giants.

Jude Bellingham has edged closer to a Steven Gerrard record after Real Madrid played out a 1-1 draw in Wednesday’s Champions League last-16 second-leg encounter against RB Leipzig at Santiago Bernabeu. The Englishman was pivotal as Carlo Ancelotti’s men secured a 2-1 aggregate win over Marco Rose’s side after a tricky tie against a determined Leipzig side.

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Real Madrid 1-1 RB Leipzig

Ancelotti’s men could have fallen behind had Lois Openda had his shooting boots on in Madrid, but wasteful finishing spared Los Blancos’ blushes.

The competition’s supreme side punished the Bundesliga outfit in the 65th minute when Bellingham impressively set up Vinicius Junior after an aggressive ball carry on a counterattack to put the 14-time European champions ahead on the night and 2-0 up on aggregate.

Real Madrid
Bellingham set up Vini Jr. after an impressive Real Madrid counterattack in Real Madrid's eventual Champions League success over RB Leipzig (Credit: Imago/Alberto Gardin)

Leipzig hit back quickly from Willi Orban, whose header beat Andriy Lunin just three minutes after Vini Jr. netted to make the remainder of the game nervy for the LaLiga outfit, with Dani Olmo hitting the bar in the second minute of second-half stoppage time.

How is Bellingham’s debut Champions League campaign at Real Madrid going?

With that assist, Bellingham has set up four for his teammates in this season’s Champions League, adding to his four goals in an outstanding debut campaign at Real Madrid.

Wednesday’s goal made the young midfielder the first Englishman to score four and assist as many in one Champions League season since the 2007-08 campaign.

Steven Gerrard’s Champions League record

The last Englishman before Bellingham to hit those numbers on the continent was Liverpool legend Gerrard, who indeed netted six times in that European year with four assists to boot as the Reds made it to the competition's semi-finals before eventual elimination at the hands of Chelsea.

Bellingham needs two more goals in this year’s continental journey to equal the retired midfielder’s record, a feat he could match in the quarter-finals.

What comes next for Bellingham and Real Madrid?

Bellingham and his Real Madrid colleagues must wait until next Friday for the last-eight draw, but Los Blancos return to LaLiga action with clashes against Celta Vigo and Osasuna on March 10 and 16, respectively, before the international break, keen to hold on to their advantage in the competition.

The Englishman will take no part in both games after his sending-off at the end of Real’s 2-2 draw at Valencia was upheld. Bellingham was fined 600 euros (£513) and Real 700 euros (£598) as part of the punishment imposed by the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).