Jose Mourinho described Jude Bellingham as 'one-of-a-kind' after the Real Madrid midfielder scored the equalizer in a 3-2 Champions League victory over AEK Athens. The 23-year-old became the youngest player to score in seven successive Champions League campaigns, surpassing Kylian Mbappé. Madrid twice came from behind in Greece to secure a fourth consecutive win, moving level with Paris Saint-Germain at the top of the League Phase standings on 12 points.
Bellingham's 32nd-minute backheel goal from Marc Cucurella's cross leveled the score after Aboubakary Koita had given AEK an early lead. Mbappé and substitute Fede Valverde secured the win late, with Valverde scoring in stoppage time. Mourinho praised Bellingham's consistency, work rate, and leadership, calling him 'absolutely extraordinary.' Despite Vinícius Júnior's return, the team relied on individual brilliance to overcome a compact AEK side.
Mourinho believes Madrid have already qualified for the knockout rounds but emphasized the need to secure a top-eight finish to avoid a play-off round.
Source: ESPN Soccer · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing