Jude Bellingham, the star midfielder for Real Madrid, has been sidelined since early February due to a hamstring injury. He only played 10 minutes against Rayo Vallecano on February 1 before getting hurt.
Bellingham, along with Kylian Mbappe, missed the recent Champions League match against Manchester City. However, Federico Valverde stepped up, helping Real secure a comfortable 3-0 victory.
Real Madrid performs better with Bellingham on the field as he adds significant strength to the midfield. According to a report from The Athletic, Bellingham’s likely return is set for the upcoming derby against Atletico Madrid. He is reportedly putting in the effort to recover quickly.
The derby is scheduled for March 22, just a few days after the second leg of the Champions League Round of 16. It appears Bellingham will miss both matches against Manchester City.
Given Real’s solid lead, it’s safer to rest Bellingham rather than risk further injury, especially since Atletico Madrid has posed challenges recently, having previously defeated them in their last league encounter.