Real Madrid’s new signing Jude Bellingham made a dream debut for the Whites in the first match of La Liga 2023-24 on Saturday.
The midfielder scored from a delightful volley in the 36th minute during a 2-0 win over Athletic Bilbao.
The 20-year-old said it was a “dream evening” for him in a tweet after the match.
Player-of-the-match Bellingham, who was roped in by Madrid for 103 million euros plus 30 million in add-ons from Borussia Dortmund, looked in great touch and created several opportunities for his side.
"Bellingham is a fantastic kid, he displays quality, personality, he is a hard worker. He is just fantastic," Madrid’s manager Carlo Ancelotti told Movistar Plus after the match.
"He is very motivated to be here, he is a fantastic player and a very, very important signing.
"We were on fire and motivated, we had a very good collective commitment, attitude, won many challenges, worked together defensively, a clean sheet was positive... it was a complete game, a very high level first half and a second half of total control."
Here is how Twitter reacted
Madrid scored their first goal in the 28th minute after a mistake from Athletic’s defence. The error presented a loose ball to Rodrygo with the Brazilian netting a clever finish between goalkeeper Unai Simon and the near post.
The Los Blancos had many opportunities to extend their lead in the second half but were unable to convert their chances.
They also lost defender Eder Militao, who left the pitch in tears with what looked like a left knee injury five minutes after the break. He will undergo medical tests soon in order to assess the nature of his injury.
According to Marca, Real Madrid are worried that Militao might have torn his Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) which could lead to a significant period on the sidelines.
"We are worried about Militao. It's not looking good,” Ancelotti added.
