Borussia Dortmund host Chelsea for the primary leg of a Champions League tie that sees two of the world’s greatest prospects go head-to-head.
Jude Bellingham and Enzo Fernandez have a mixed age of simply 41. Between them, the pair have already stacked up 278 senior membership appearances.
Bellingham has performed 161 occasions for Dortmund and Birmingham Metropolis, whereas Fernandez has racked up 117 appearances throughout spells at Defensa y Justicia, River Plate, Benfica and now Chelsea.
Nearly as good because the duo have been for his or her golf equipment, they elevated themselves into the “should purchase” class for Europe’s elite sides with their performances eventually yr’s World Cup.
Fernandez was named the match’s greatest younger participant as he performed a key function in Argentina claiming their third world crown, and Chelsea had been decided to get their man.
Whereas their efforts early within the January window had been annoyed, Chelsea finally agreed to pay Benfica the total quantity of Fernandez’s £106.8million (€121m) buy-out clause as he grew to become the crown jewel of their spending spree.
Starting our #UCL prep! pic.twitter.com/bIZiFMjeEV
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) February 13, 2023
Bellingham, in the meantime, asserted himself as an important participant in Gareth Southgate’s England facet, with the 19-year-old’s shows in Qatar paying homage to when Wayne Rooney starred at Euro 2004.
Liverpool, Manchester Metropolis and Actual Madrid are mentioned to be battling it out for Bellingham, ought to Dortmund determine to money in on their talisman on the finish of the season.
Ought to Bellingham be destined for a transfer again to England, then Wednesday’s conflict between Dortmund and Chelsea at Sign Iduna Park might simply trace at what’s to return from two potential Premier League staples.
Lighting up the world stage
Whereas Bellingham was at all times prone to be on the radar of Europe’s greatest sides no matter whether or not he had an awesome World Cup or not, his performances for England will doubtless do Dortmund’s financial institution steadiness no hurt.
If Bellingham’s tremendous showings within the teams had hinted at his immense expertise, then his efficiency in England’s 3-0 victory over Senegal within the final 16 was a coming of age efficiency on the worldwide stage.
3-0 England at FT. Convincing win in the long run after a sluggish begin. Bellingham good. #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/7WNl50dlII
— patricridge (@PatricRidge) December 4, 2022
Bellingham didn’t rating however was closely concerned in all three of England’s targets to mark him turning into the one teenager, after Michael Owen in 1998, to start out a World Cup knockout recreation for England.
He went off within the 76th minute of that tie having supplied an help – the youngest participant to take action for England in a World Cup recreation since 1966 – and accomplished 30 of his 33 passes (91 per cent), with eight of these tried within the closing third.
Throughout the match, solely Luke Shaw (16) contributed to extra open-play shot-ending sequences than Bellingham (15) did for the Three Lions.
Fernandez, alternatively, has definitely had the limelight thrust on him attributable to his wonderful World Cup.
Not that he had not been wonderful at Benfica. Nonetheless, his gorgeous aim in Argentina’s group stage win over Mexico led to him being a relentless starter for the remainder of the match.
Within the closing, Fernandez led all gamers for touches (118), profitable passes (77) and tackles (10). His tally of tackles was probably the most of any participant in a World Cup showpiece match since Gennaro Gattuso in 2006 (15).
Combative off the ball, Fernandez received 40 of his 68 duels within the match (58.8 per cent), and likewise proved reliable in possession, finishing 410 passes, together with his accuracy of 87.6 bettered by solely six of his team-mates to play at the very least 90 minutes in Qatar.
Fernandez performed extra profitable lengthy passes (16) than another Argentina participant, whereas solely Nicolas Otamendi, Cristian Romero and Rodrigo de Paul performed extra ahead passes than his 116.
Thriving at membership stage
As beforehand famous, Fernandez had impressed with Benfica earlier than carrying that type into the World Cup.
Solely Ricardo Horta (126) had been concerned in additional open-play shot-ending sequences than Fernandez (122) in Portugal’s Primeira Liga previous to the latter’s transfer to Stamford Bridge.
Fernandez ranked third within the competitors for goal-ending sequence involvements (14), second for anticipated targets (xG) sequence involvement (18.8) and second for aim build-up involvements (eight).
From a task on the left-side of Benfica’s central midfield, Fernandez was additionally key to beginning strikes throughout his half-season in Portugal. Within the Primeira Liga alone he began 23 shot-ending sequences (league rank third), 4 goal-ending sequences (second) and collected 4.8 xG from strikes he began (first).
Fernandez has taken little time to settle into the Premier League. He assisted Joao Felix’s first Chelsea aim with a splendidly weighted ball in Saturday’s 1-1 draw with West Ham and his tally of 171 passes throughout the final two video games – solely 4 top-flight midfielders tried extra.
No Chelsea midfielder received extra duels (12), tackles (9, six of which he received), touches (209), carries (43), or ahead passes (29). Simply Fred, of Manchester United, has received extra tackles within the final two league video games.
The 22-year-old might need an enormous price ticket to reside as much as, however he has definitely proved to be some of the environment friendly all-round midfielders in Europe this time period.
Proper up there with him in that regard is Bellingham, who has been let off the leash considerably from an attacking standpoint at Dortmund this season.
With BVB not in a position to depend on Erling Haaland targets, Bellingham has been tasked with arriving into the field late to complement their assault.
Bellingham has featured 27 occasions for Dortmund this season, second solely to Nico Schlotterbeck. He’s their high scorer with 10 targets, second for assists (six) and third for probabilities created (28). He boasts a formidable 19.2 per cent shot conversion fee and has outperformed his xG (7.6).
Extra of an attacking risk than Fernandez, Bellingham has the opposite facet of the sport too: 388 duels is 172 greater than any of his club-mates, and he has received 225 of them (Schlotterbeck ranks second with 144); the identical goes for tackles, with {the teenager} making an attempt 70 and profitable 39 – each group highs.
An indication of what’s to return
Fernandez is the costliest signing in Premier League historical past, and may Bellingham be a part of him in England’s high tier subsequent season, it appears doubtless as if the Birmingham boy would take that file.
They don’t play the identical function and shouldn’t be anticipated to. Bellingham’s recreation has gone up one other stage since he was given the liberty and duty to supply extra attacking risk, and Fernandez can pull the strings from deep.
Bellingham’s all-action type combined together with his sharp flip of tempo makes for a participant that would appear completely suited to Liverpool or Metropolis, whereas Graham Potter might be anticipated to construct round Fernandez for years to return – the Argentine did, in spite of everything, signal an eight-and-a-half-year cope with Chelsea.
One factor is obvious. Bellingham and Fernandez are already excellent gamers and each are destined to achieve the very high.
