Bellingham out with hamstring injury

Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham is expected to miss the club’s upcoming UEFA Champions League play-off matches against Benfica after sustaining a hamstring injury on Sunday.

“Following tests carried out today on our player Jude Bellingham by Real Madrid’s medical services, he has been diagnosed with an injury to the semitendinosus muscle in his left leg,” the club said in a statement, without indicating how long he will be sidelined.

Spanish media reports suggest the 22-year-old England international could be out for around a month, after he was forced off injured in the early stages of Madrid’s 2–1 La Liga victory over Rayo Vallecano.

If confirmed, Bellingham will miss the two Champions League play-off fixtures against José Mourinho’s Benfica on February 17 and 25, as well as domestic league clashes against Valencia, Real Sociedad and Osasuna.

Real Madrid coach Álvaro Arbeloa admitted that Bellingham’s absence would be significant but expressed confidence in the depth of his squad.

“It would be a big absence,” Arbeloa said, “but we have an extraordinary squad capable of coping with situations like this.”

In Sunday’s league encounter, Jorge de Frutos drew Rayo level shortly after the break as sections of the Santiago Bernabéu crowd voiced their frustration following Madrid’s midweek Champions League defeat to Benfica.

However, Rayo’s resistance weakened after Pathé Ciss was sent off, and Kylian Mbappé sealed the win from the penalty spot in stoppage time to register his 22nd La Liga goal of the season.

By AFP

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