REAL MADRID
Jude Bellingham to make Real Madrid injury return: will he start against Valencia in LaLiga?
The England star will be named in the squad for Saturday’s game, just three days before the Champions League clash against RB Leipzig.
Jude Bellingham is back after injury. The Real Madrid midfielder isn’t quite 100% fit yet, but he’s not far away. 19 days ago, on February 10, he suffered a high-grade sprain to his left ankle in the 4-0 win over Girona, with the club’s medical stuff estimating he would be out for three weeks. The Champions League round-of-16 second leg against RB Leipzig (Wednesday 6 March) was the target for his return, although there was some hope he would be fit to play against Valencia at Mestalla a few days earlier (Saturday 2 March). And Los Blancos’ prayers have been answered, with pain-free Bellingham to be named in the squad for the game.
Champions League game against Leipzig to influence Bellingham decision
The big question now is whether he will start or not. Saturday’s clash is expected to be a feisty one and the fact the upcoming European game against Leipzig is just days away will likely be a determining factor. If there is even the slightest risk of a recurrence of the injury, Bellingham will start on the bench, which looks set to be the most likely scenario.
The 20 year old is almost fully fit. Last weekend, he was back doing some running, on Monday he was spotted doing ball work and in the last few days he has stepped it up further. A tailored recovery plan was drawn up and has gone smoothly up until now, with no setbacks.
On Thursday, Bellingham will be further tested and will take part in certain parts of the group session, although he could even train fully with the rest of his teammates. If that ends up being the case, he will also train as normal on Friday and will be in with a chance of starting in Valencia if he comes through unscathed.
That, of course, is the most optimistic outcome. Realistically, the midfielder may still feel a little discomfort, with some stiffness around the joint to be expected. In that case, he would be named in the squad but start on the bench, with head coach Carlo Ancelotti likely to give him some game time in the second half to help get him back up to speed before Leipzig.
Ankle injury the worst in Bellingham’s career
If Bellingham is still feeling a little tender, his ankle will be strapped up - as a precaution - to give it extra support and, in theory, allow him to play without any pain.
Interestingly, the England’s star’s current injury is the “worst” he has had in his career. Previously, his longest spells on the sidelines had been 17 (earlier this season) and 11 days (while at Borussia Dortmund), on both occasions with a dislocated shoulder. This ankle issue began 19 days ago but looks to be coming to an end.
What is Real Madrid’s record without Bellingham?
In the event that he is a substitute, which is most likely, Brahim Díaz will once again start in his place. The playmaker’s form is expected to earn him a call-up for the Spanish national team to play against Brazil at the Bernabéu in March.
Although Bellingham has been one of Madrid’s stand-out performers this season, their record without him is excellent: seven wins and a draw in eight games.
Whenever the 20 year old has been unavailable, Brahim has stepped up to the plate. Will he get another chance to deputise at Mestalla or drop back down to the bench? We’ll have a clearer picture after Thursday and Friday’s training sessions.