Rafa Benítez on Jude Bellingham: “When you pay €100m for a player, he has to be good” | OneFootball

Celta Vigo head coach Rafa Benítez has spoken ahead of his side’s clash against Real Madrid on Friday night. The Spanish tactician acknowledged that the match against Madrid will be “very special” for him because he will come up against a club where he was both a player and a coach.

Mundo Deportivo report that when quizzed about Jude Bellingham, Benítez said, “When you pay €100m for a player, he has to be good.”

The ex-Real Madrid manager said that he has friends in Birmingham and has been following both Jude and his brother Jobe’s careers since they were young, and could always see Jude’s potential.

Benítez spoke about how Madrid are undoubtedly a great club and the respect that he has for his direct opposite, Carlo Ancelotti. Benítez was dismissed by Florentino Pérez in January 2016, just six months after arriving at the Santiago Bernabéu to replace Ancelotti.

Celta have had an uncertain start to their league campaign, with a draw against Real Sociedad in their last game, following a loss to Osasuna in the opener. Benítez will be hoping for his first win of the campaign when he faces his old club.

Japtej Ghura | GSFN