Real Madrid star out for a month due to injury: who will replace him?

Reigning La Liga champions Real Madrid will be without one of their key players next month as it has been confirmed that Jude Bellingham has sustained a muscle injury that will keep him out of action for around a month.

The injury occurred during training on Friday. Coach Carlo Ancelotti admitted in his press conference immediately afterwards that he was being examined by medical staff.

Shortly after this press conference, the club confirmed that “following the tests carried out today by the Real Madrid medical team on Jude Bellingham, the player has been diagnosed with an injury to the plantar fasciitis muscle in his right leg. His progress will be monitored.”

Bellingham was injured after being named the match's most valuable player for his performance in the win over Atalanta in Warsaw, Poland. He was back in the starting line-up for last Saturday's 1-1 draw with RCD Mallorca as the team begins its 2024/25 season.

Adding to Bellingham's absence is the injury of Eduardo Camavinga, who will be out for a similar period after sustaining a knee injury during training in Poland ahead of the Super Cup match.

Which games will Jude Bellingham miss due to injury?

The injury is expected to keep Bellingham out of action for around a month, with a return to action in late September. That would mean he would miss up to six games for Real Madrid.

Real Madrid face Real Valladolid on Sunday, followed by a short break before heading to the Canary Islands to face Las Palmas on Thursday night. After that, the schedule becomes more complicated as Real Betis visit the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu on September 1.

Bellingham will then miss the international break with England, who face Ireland and Finland in the UEFA Nations League under the leadership of caretaker coach Lee Carsley.

Upon his return to Spain, Bellingham will miss the La Liga clash with Real Sociedad as well as Real Madrid's first Champions League game of the season, scheduled to take place the week of September 16.

The midfielder would then work towards a target date for the return matches against Espanyol or Alavés (both at the Bernabéu) in order to be fully fit for the match against Atlético Madrid on September 29.

Who could replace Jude Bellingham in Real Madrid’s midfield?

Starting with Sunday evening's game against Real Valladolid, coach Carlo Ancelotti must now look for an alternative to his English number 5, who occupies a unique role as an attacking midfielder in the squad.

The closest replacement could be Moroccan international Brahim Díaz, who had a strong pre-season that included a goal and an assist in the friendly against Chelsea in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Another player who could step in is Turkish teenager Arda Güler. Güler averaged a goal every 62 minutes in La Liga last season and then shone with Turkey at the European Championships.

During pre-season, Güler played primarily on the right side of a three-man attack. The move to midfield saw him return to a more conservative role, which he held at Fenerbahçe in Turkey before moving to Spain.

However, the team has been accused of being unbalanced with so many attacking players on the field. In the draw with Mallorca, Ancelotti effectively used four players in attack, with Bellingham supported by Rodrygo Goes, Vinícius Júnior and Kylian Mbappé.

Therefore, it is possible that Ancelotti is considering a tactical change. This could lead to him opting for a more reliable option, such as the experienced Luka Modrić. He will turn 39 during the upcoming international break but represents a reliable and more defensively adept alternative for Ancelotti. Likewise, Dani Ceballos, who played just 586 minutes in La Liga last season, could be considered as the only remaining midfielder.