Jude Bellingham
Carlo Ancelotti discusses Jude Bellingham's similarity to Kaka
Jude Bellingham likened to retired legend Kaka
Both played a similar position for Carlo Ancelotti
Kaka enjoyed his best prior to Real Madrid move


Kaka was a world record signing for Real Madrid in 2009
Kaka was a world record signing for Real Madrid in 2009 / Denis Doyle/GettyImages
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has admitted that he sees similarities between Jude Bellingham and 2007 Ballon d'Or winner Kaka, with whom he spent six years at AC Milan.

Kaka made himself the best in the world in the 'number 10' role behind two strikers for Milan, a position in which Bellingham has thrived since moving to Madrid last summer.

"They are similar. I think there isn't much difference," Ancelotti told Sky Sport Italy.

"I think the game has changed since Kaka, and also the characteristics of footballers playing in that position. Attacking midfielders are physically more powerful than 20 years ago when those players had more talent than power. In modern football, these players have evolved."

Jude Bellingham
Jude Bellingham plays a similar position to Kaka / Mateo Villalba/GettyImages
Until 2018 when Luka Modric won, Kaka had been the last player for a generation to win the Ballon d'Or thanks to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo dominating the award. He landed the gong for his role in Milan’s 2007 Champions League triumph, during which he scored ten goals in Europe alone.

Kaka was at his absolute peak during those years, scoring 72 times from his attacking midfield position over the course of his four best seasons between 2005 and 2009. It was then that Real Madrid made him the most expensive player in history, paying a world record €67m fee that was broken by Cristiano Ronaldo’s €94m arrival at the Bernabeu just three weeks later.

The Brazilian ultimately struggled with injuries in Spain, only playing 85 La Liga games in four years and returning to Milan in 2013 without the Serie A giants paying a transfer fee.

Bellingham has had better luck in Madrid when it comes to injuries. Despite a knee problem when he first arrived, then a dislocated shoulder in November and a more recent ankle sprain, he has appeared in 22 of 27 La Liga games and scored 16 goals already. However, he will miss two more domestic games this month after being handed a two-match ban for a recent red card.

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Marti Cifuentes not blaming referee despite QPR playing against ‘two keepers’

QPR boss Marti Cifuentes refused to point the finger at the match officials after a controversial 2-2 draw at home to West Brom.

Trailing 2-1 early in the second half, relegation-threatened Rangers missed a penalty and should have been awarded another.

Michael Frey’s spot-kick was saved by Alex Palmer shortly before Sam Field’s header appeared to have been superbly tipped over by the goalkeeper or cleared off the line by defender Cedric Kipre.

However, replays showed that Kipre used his hand – an offence which would almost certainly have resulted in a red card as well as a penalty had it been spotted.

Justice was done when Field, who also scored the first goal, headed in a late equaliser against his former club to earn a point.

“I’ve been told that West Brom played with two keepers for a while,” Cifuentes quipped.

“I’m not here to complain. I’m here to make sure my team is better, so if we need to play against two keepers then we need to practice playing against two keepers.

“Football is a game with mistakes and unfortunately refs can make mistakes as well. They have a very difficult job – the second most difficult job, after being a manager.

“On the pitch I thought their keeper made an amazing save – I mean the real keeper. That shows you how difficult the referee’s job is. I was shown it (on video) afterwards.”

The draw moved Rangers up a place, to 19th in the Championship, and extended their unbeaten run to four matches.

“We created a lot of chances and could have scored more goals,” Cifuentes said.

“We need to be brave and have belief in ourselves. When we are brave then we play better.

“I’m sure that we are going to pick up points between now and the end of the season. I see progress.”

Play-off hopefuls West Brom extended their cushion over seventh-placed Norwich to five points.

Boss Carlos Corberan said: “I’m pleased with a point, because for me a point was the maximum result we could have achieved today. The value of the point is very high.

“Of course you don’t want to (have to) defend as much as we were defending in the second half. We want to attack more and not concede that number of chances.

“For me, analysing this game, the best way to defend was to attack. In the first half we attacked enough but in the second half when we lost the ball we were close to losing the game.

“We were defending a lot. They had a lot of set-pieces and we weren’t active enough to stop them. They had more clear chances than the (second) goal.

“We lost the ball more times than we should have and gave them the option to attack us. We defended a lot and it was not enough to stop them.”

Watford's struggles under Valerien Ismael continued as they battled to a 1-1 draw with Swansea City.

The Hornets fell behind in comical fashion early on when goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann raced out of his goal and teenage full-back Ryan Andrews headed into his own net.

Swansea wasted chances to stretch their advantage before the break, before Watford's second-half improvement was rewarded when Wesley Hoedt headed goalwards and fellow centre-back Ryan Porteous appeared to help the ball over the line.

The draw means Watford have taken only six points from their last nine matches, a dispiriting sequence which has prompted questions over the future of head coach Ismael.

Swansea are on the best run since early October having taken seven points from their last three Championship games, though Luke Williams' side will feel they could have got more given their first-half superiority at Vicarage Road.

The Swans stay 15th in the table - though the gap to the bottom three now stretches to five points - with Watford two points and two places better off.

Ismael had called for a fast start against Swansea, and his players responded to an extent as early Yaser Asprilla and Jamal Lewis efforts were blocked.
But Ismael's team looked nervy and uncertain - and duly conceded an embarrassing goal when Matt Grimes sent a long ball down the inside left channel for Przemsylaw Placheta to chase.

Right-back Andrews comfortably beat Placheta to the ball and attempted to head back to another player recalled to Watford's starting side, Bachmann.

But the Austrian international keeper's questionable positioning meant Andrews' back-header rolled into the empty net.

Swansea ought to have doubled their lead when Ronald dispossessed Lewis and burst into the box, but this time Bachmann saved his side by turning the Brazilian's shot round the post.

Watford tried to respond, Emmanuel Dennis seeing a shot blocked by Ben Cabango and Porteous heading over, before Bachmann pawed out Cabango's header just before the break.
Ismael's team improved significantly in the second half, putting their opponents under sustained pressure for the first time and levelling from a Giorgi Chakvetadze corner.

Hoedt lost his marker to flick on and Porteous looked to get the final touch as the ball went over the line.

Nathan Wood's fine block then denied Asprilla, before Cabango smothered Lewis' follow-up effort.

Suddenly, Watford had all the momentum - although Swansea might have retaken the lead when Placheta burst down the left flank before lashing across the face of goal.

Asprilla then had another opportunity to claim a winner - and seal Watford's first home league victory since November - but he saw another shot blocked and Swansea scrambled clear.

Watford head coach Valerien Ismael:

"We changed some players. We changed first half the way to play. We changed a lot of things around the training ground, the schedule, just to make sure the players are aware of the situation.

"It was difficult at half-time but we just said we have to stay in the game. We just need one goal.

"It's a clear mental issue at the moment. We are working on it with the players but sometimes it takes time. We need that confidence.

"The best way to heal is to win a game. We have the chance now on Saturday. We focus now on that game and we go again."

Swansea head coach Luke Williams:

"It is a couple [of points] dropped. We scored first and just about dominated the first half. From that position you have a choice to control the game more - you don't have to frantically try to score any more.
You can manage the game in a different way. We didn't do that so we lost two points.

"The one-goal cushion wasn't enough. We have to improve the way we finish games. We are starting games better but we have to finish better.

"If we are not going to be able to play with the same attacking threat, we have to manage the game in a different way and that's something we are learning."