Against De Bruyne, Bellingham shows why he has the world at his feet

The pair are separated by 12 years, at 20 and 32 years of age respectively, but the importance they have to their teams cannot be underplayed.

FITS LIKE A GLOVE: Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham during the UEFA Champions League quarter-final. Pic: Martin Rickett, PA Wire.

Amid the sound and fury of another enthralling Champions League game at the Etihad, this was also the perfect chance to assess the merits of Jude Bellingham, Europe’s most exciting young player, against those of Kevin De Bruyne, the Premier League’s finest midfielder of recent years.

They are separated by 12 years, at 20 and 32 years of age respectively, but the importance they have to their teams cannot be underplayed.