A blow for Real. Bellingham to miss at least a month due to injury

Real Madrid secured a narrow victory over Rayo Vallecano thanks to goals from Vinicius and Mbappé. However, the match was overshadowed by Jude Bellingham's injury, which turned out to be quite serious.

According to journalist Jose Luis Sanchez, the midfielder will be sidelined for about a month due to a tear in the semitendinosus muscle of his left leg. The exact recovery period is still uncertain—ranging from three and a half to five weeks—but one thing is clear: this is a significant injury.

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An examination the midfielder underwent on Sunday confirmed the worst fears of Madrid's medical staff. The Englishman is guaranteed to miss both Champions League fixtures against Benfica, as well as at least four La Liga matches—against Valencia, Real Sociedad, Osasuna, and Getafe. The club hopes Bellingham will be able to return in time for the potential first leg of the Champions League Round of 16, scheduled for March 10–11, but nobody is willing to take any risks with his recovery.