Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham out for a month with injury – source

Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham suffered a muscle injury to his right leg during training on Friday, the club confirmed.

A source told ESPN that Bellingham was expected to be out until mid-September, after the international break.

Madrid play their first home game of the season on Sunday against Real Valladolid at the Bernabéu, having opened the season last week with a 1-1 draw away to Mallorca.

In this match, Kylian Mbappé makes his home debut after moving from Paris Saint-Germain to Real this summer.

“After tests were carried out today by Real Madrid’s medical service on our player Jude Bellingham, it has been determined that he has an injury to the plantaris muscle in his right leg,” the club said in a statement.

“(Bellingham) took a hit,” coach Carlo Ancelotti said in a news conference earlier on Friday. “We are evaluating it.”

England midfielder Bellingham scored 19 league goals for Real Madrid last season and produced a man-of-the-match performance in their first trophy win of the season, beating Atalanta in the UEFA Super Cup last week.

Expectations are high for Madrid in 2024-25 after Mbappe was added to a squad that won La Liga and the Champions League. However, Ancelotti’s side came under criticism after dropping points in Mallorca.

“It was quite clear in terms of the evaluation,” Ancelotti said. “We lacked balance sometimes and we have to work on that. It’s not that complicated. When the problem is clear, there is a clear solution.”

Ancelotti denied there was a problem fitting forward Rodrygo into the team, alongside Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior and Bellingham.

“(Rodrygo) told me he is very happy here,” Ancelotti said. “He works hard, he is one of the best in these games, so there is no problem with him.”