Real Madrid have started their domestic season on the wrong foot, as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Mallorca in matchweek one. Now, in another huge setback, Jude Bellingham has picked up a muscle injury, as per reports.
The midfielder seems to have sustained the injury in training and as per club sources, the England international will be out for a few weeks. Madrid play Real Valladolid on Sunday and Jude Bellingham will miss this game for sure. If his recovery timeline is accurate then he will be back in action just after the international break.
Bellingham was one of the standout performers for the Los Blancos last season, he had made 36 goal contributions in 42 appearances. However, now that the England international will spend some time on the sidelines, Carlo Ancelotti will have to look at his alternatives.
Who will replace Jude Bellingham for the next couple of matches?
Bellingham’s injury will be a setback but thankfully, the manager has a couple of players who can replace him for the next couple of matches.
Arda Guler and Brahim Diaz are the two like-for-like replacements for Jude Bellingham and we think Guler will be the one to come and slot into the No. 10. Ancelotti and Perez have high hopes for the Turkish international, and Bellingham’s injury might give him the chance he needs to shine at the Bernabeu.
Guler played only 12 games for Madrid last season and he was also linked with a loan exit during the summer. However, Ancelotti has refused to send him out and the 19-year-old should get his first start on Sunday.
With Jude Bellingham unavailable, the Real Madrid manager is going to lose an every-willing runner in the middle of the pitch but in terms of attacking prowess and creativity, Arda Guler is very much at par with his fellow teammate.
However, if Ancelotti wants to bring in experience, then Luka Modric will come into the starting XI, and his calmness and poise will be really handy. This will probably be Modric’s final season at the club but the Croatian can still be a very impactful player against a team like Real Valladolid.
In matchweek one, Real Madrid set up in a 4-1-2-3 formation but if Luka Modric is coming into the side then Carlo Ancelotti will probably shift to a 4-3-3 system.
