Pep Guardiola faces Jude Bellingham reunion in the Champions League after failed three-hour attempt to sign him for Man City
Pep Guardiola will face Jude Bellingham for the first time since his failed attempt to sign the English midfielder.
city of manchester They faced Bellingham real Madrid on Friday Champions League drawin a repeat of the exciting semi-final between both teams from last season.
City's hopes of retaining the trophy they won in Istanbul last June will once again come down to the competition's 14-time winners, but this time they will have to quell the threat of Real Madrid's top scorer this season. Bellingham.
However, if Guardiola had his way, the England star would have been lining up for Manchester City against the LaLiga giants next month.
It was no secret that City had a great interest in the midfield during his great spell in Borussia Dortmund.
Guardiola, who previously described Bellingham as “the complete package”, had targeted the star as part of his midfield regeneration.
However, Real Madrid's insistence on sealing the deal early meant that not even a three-hour meeting with Guardiola could deter him from donning the famous white shirt.
Madrid concluded an £88m transfer in mid-June 2023, but just before Bellingham signed a six-year contract at Spain City they intervened with a last-minute offer to Dortmund, while offering the star a salary more lucrative.
According to a Spanish media South ChainGuardiola and Bellingham were locked in talks for three hours during which the Spaniard attempted to convince the Three Lions star that a move to the Premier League would be a better option than the Santiago Bernabeu.
Guardiola cited City as being at a better stage of their development than Real Madrid but, despite his best efforts, Bellingham rejected the highest offer to move to the Spanish capital.
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Amid the disappointment, the Manchester City manager is said to have respected the decision and wished both Bellingham and Real Madrid luck with the move.
Bellingham and Real Madrid will host City in the first leg of their delightful quarter-final next month before the second leg at the Etihad Stadium a week later.
