Real Madrid Receives Bad News About Bellingham

Jude Bellingham, who was the best player in La Liga last season, suffered a muscle injury in his right leg during training on August 23 and is expected to be sidelined for about a month.

In a press conference ahead of Real Madrid’s La Liga match against Valladolid, coach Carlo Ancelotti confirmed that Bellingham was injured during training and is currently undergoing medical evaluation.

Shortly after, Real Madrid announced that the English midfielder would need approximately a month to recover and is expected to return after the international break in September. Bellingham has been a key player for Real Madrid since his $144 million transfer from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2023. Last season, the 21-year-old contributed 23 goals and 13 assists in 42 appearances across all competitions, helping the club secure three titles: La Liga, the Spanish Super Cup, and the Champions League. His outstanding performance earned him the title of La Liga’s Best Player for the 2023-2024 season and made him a strong contender for the Ballon d’Or.

Before Bellingham’s injury, Real Madrid had already suffered a setback with Eduardo Camavinga, who sprained his left knee ligament and is expected to be out for six to seven weeks. The team still has midfielders Aurelien Tchouameni, Luka Modric, Dani Ceballos, Federico Valverde, and Arda Guler available.

In their first La Liga match of the season, Real Madrid, with a starting lineup that included Bellingham, Rodrygo, Vinicius, and the newly signed Kylian Mbappe, was held to a 1-1 draw by Mallorca. Spanish newspaper Marca analyzed that Real Madrid’s attacking stars tended to drift to the left, causing an imbalance with less playmaking through the center and right side. The article, titled “They Need to Focus,” included a heat map showing the average positions of Bellingham, Mbappe, Vinicius, and Rodrygo.

However, Ancelotti dismissed this as a problem, citing it as a key reason for Real Madrid’s Champions League victories in 2022 and 2024. He emphasized that the team has historically favored attacking down the left flank, and this strategy has been successful.

There have been rumors of tension within Real Madrid’s attack, with reports suggesting that Rodrygo was unhappy with the media’s focus on the trio of Bellingham, Mbappe, and Vinicius. Ancelotti denied these rumors, stating that Rodrygo is happy at the club, trains hard, and remains a top player.

Ancelotti also refuted claims that Real Madrid would sign a new central defender before the 2024 summer transfer window closes, expressing confidence in the current duo of Eder Militao and Antonio Rudiger. He added that David Alaba is nearing full fitness, Tchouameni could fill in as a center-back, and young players from the academy, such as Raul Asencio (21) and Jacobo Ramon (19), could be given opportunities.