"He has all the qualities to play for Real Madrid" - Carlo Ancelotti praises teenage Los Blancos star after 4-2 win over Napoli
Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has said that youngster Nico Paz possesses all the qualities to play for Los Blancos after their UEFA Champions League bout against Napoli. The 19-year-old scored the Spanish giants' third goal to put his side ahead as they won 4-2 at the Santiago Bernabeu on November 29.
With the game tied 2-2 at the hour mark, Ancelotti boldly substituted Nico Paz onto the field, in place of Brahim Diaz. Within 20 minutes of coming on, the youngster broke the deadlock with a thunderous strike from outside the box, scoring his side's third goal. Espanyol-loanee Joselu proceeded to add a fourth goal in the dying embers of the game, sealing a comprehensive 4-2 win for the hosts.
Prior to his heroics against Napoli, the young prodigy had only played a mere 22 minutes of professional football for the Spanish giants. Apart from two cameo appearances in La Liga, Paz only had one outing in the Champions League. However, everything changed with his performance against Gli Azzurri as the youngster has now become an overnight sensation.
With just 25 minutes of regulation time in his hand, Paz managed to net a goal as well as maintain a passing accuracy of 90%. The boy from Tenerife also contributed on the defensive end, winning two of the five duels he contested.
Paz's manager was understandably in clear awe of his performance, as showcased by his comments. Carlo Ancelotti praised Nico Paz in the post-match press conference, saying (via Managing Madrid)
"He has all the qualities to play for Real Madrid.
"It’s a special night for him and obviously he is a player for the future of Real Madrid. He came up big for the team at a moment when we needed it."
Nico Paz is still contracted to the B-team of Real Madrid. However, if his outing against Napoli is anything to show for, he might not be too far away from getting a permanent call-up from the senior squad.
Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti lauds Jude Bellingham's stupendous performance
Despite it being just three months since the summer transfer window, Jude Bellingham's transfer to Los Blancos from Borussia Dortmund is looking like the best transfer of the season. The 20-year-old midfielder added another goal to his tally and got an assist against Napoli.
As a result, the England international received high praise from Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti, who said:
"It’s hard to compare him with others. It’s true that Bellingham surprises you every game. He is a gift for football."
With yet another goal, Bellingham has now racked up 15 goals in 16 games across competitions this term, one more than what he managed in the entirety of last campaign. At just 20, the former Borussia Dortmund midfielder is already etching his name into the history books of Real Madrid.