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Footage of Jude Bellingham and his Real Madrid teammate Aurelien Tchouameni enjoying a playful dispute over Bayern Munich’s Eric Dier has resurfaced ahead of their Champions League clash.
Eyebrows were raised when the 30-year-old joined Thomas Tuchel’s side on loan after falling out of favor at Tottenham following the appointment of Ange Postecoglou.
However, the England international has been an ever-present in Bayern’s defense, limiting the likes of Kim Min-jae and Dayot Upemacano to substitute appearances.
The latter proved to be a source of contention between Bellingham and Tchouameni ahead of this week’s Champions League semi-final against the Bundesliga team in Madrid.
Bellingham insisted his compatriot has the edge over Upemacano, although Tchouameni received no encouragement from the England star.
Jude Bellingham (right) teased his Real Madrid teammate Aurelien Tchouameni (left), claiming Eric Dier is a better player than Dayot Upemacano
The France international was having none of it and defended his compatriot ahead of Madrid’s Champions League match against Bayern on Tuesday.
Dier was a surprise hit in Bavaria after his move from Tottenham in January
The back and forth started when Bellingham said, “It’s amazing isn’t it.” To which Tchouameni replied: “We don’t care.”
Bellingham said, “He’s better than your boy.” Before the France international replied: ‘Who? Please please…’
It is a debate that no one would have had at the start of the current campaign, perhaps not even a few months ago.
But Dier has been solid in key games for Tuchel’s side, while Upemacano has made several high-profile mistakes this season.
Ahead of Bayern’s 2-1 win over Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday, Tuchel welcomed Dier’s addition, calling him an ‘important piece of the puzzle’.
‘Eric Dier has been an excellent asset. I am extremely happy with him,” said the former Chelsea manager. “He has absolutely exceeded expectations.
‘He is an extremely important piece of the puzzle. He’s organized and vocal, which we haven’t had very often. I’m very happy.’
Since coming into the starting line-up for Die Roten, he has played fourteen of the sixteen games and Bayern have never looked back. Dier’s loan has been made permanent.
Such is his renaissance that Dier believes he has a good chance of being part of the England squad for Euro 2024.
‘If I play for a club like Bayern and play well, I should have a good chance. Why not?’ he said in March. Since then he has only improved his business.
In contrast, Upemacano has had a Test campaign that has included several high-profile errors, including a red card in Bayern’s first-leg defeat to Lazio in the last 16.
Dier has been reunited with his old Spurs teammate Harry Kane at Bayern as the pair look for success in the Champions League this season
Manager Thomas Tuchel welcomed the addition of Dier, calling him an ‘important piece of the puzzle’
He continued: “The national team is very simple. You try to play the best you can for your club and everything else is out of your control. “I haven’t spoken to Gareth yet, but it’s up to me to play well.”
Dier has not played for England since coming on as a substitute against Senegal in the last 16 of the World Cup in Qatar.