Jude Bellingham transfer news adds to growing Real Madrid feeling for Man City

Manchester City against Real Madrid certainly looks like a blockbuster, with the team that has dominated English football over the last decade going up against the club that has enjoyed unprecedented domination in the Champions League.

A semi-final that feels like a final, with the victors of this two-legged tie already taking the bill of heavy favourites against whichever Milan club makes it out of the other tie left in the competition. And if the match is anything like it was last year, when Pep Guardiola's side thought they had done enough only for another truly remarkable comeback at the Bernabeu, everyone will be itching for more encores.

It is hard to see more battles between City and Real not happening in the coming years. The tie may on the one hand represent one of the biggest clubs in the world standing defiantly in the way of the biggest modern upstart to the traditional footballing establishment, yet in reality the Blues are already well and truly part of the elite they once envied.

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City have overtaken every other club in Europe to sit as number one in UEFA's co-efficient rankings, and their road to European glory is more and more taking on a feel of when rather than if. Of course, they are still at least decades away from matching the 14 trophies won by masters of the competition Real, but they are heavyweight enough to be sparring with the La Liga giants on an annual basis whether they meet on the pitch or not.

Last year it was City who could claim victory in the transfer market having won the race to sign shooting superstar Erling Haaland, while this time Real looked to have claimed the bragging rights thanks to Jude Bellingham, the