How long will Jude Bellingham be out? Real Madrid give injury update on England midfielder
Jude Bellingham scored twice for Real Madrid against Girona but was withdrawn after 57 minutes through injury on Saturday
Jude Bellingham could be set for a spell on the sidelines after suffering an injury in Real Madrid's 4-0 win over Girona in LaLiga on Saturday.
The England midfielder scored Los Blancos' second and third goals at the Santiago Bernabeu in another impressive performance, which saw him match David Beckham's tally for the club – in just over half a season in Spain.
But shortly after scoring his second of the evening, Bellingham was forced off with just 57 minutes on the clock and replaced by Brahim Diaz.
Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said after the match that he hoped Bellingham would be available for Tuesday night's Champions League clash against RB Leipzig, but the return leg in March now looks a more realistic target for the 20-year-old.
"He has a sprained ankle," the Italian said. "He'll be assessed tomorrow. Let's hope he can be ready for Tuesday."
In a statement on their website on Sunday, Madrid added: "Following tests carried out today on Jude Bellingham by the Real Madrid Medical Services, he has been diagnosed with a sprain in his left ankle. His recovery will be monitored."
That gave little away, but reports in Spain state that the midfielder is likely to be out for a few weeks.
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Journalist Jose Luis Sanchez said on X (formerly Twitter) that the 20-year-old will be out for two to three weeks.
Meanwhile, a report in Marca states that the midfielder will look to be back for Real's Champions League last-16 second leg against Leipzig on March 6th.
More Jude Bellingham stories
Jude Bellingham ahead of Zinedine Zidane and Luis Figo? A former team-mate of the Real Madrid legends has explained how the England midfielder has the edge on the Frenchman and the Portuguese.
Meanwhile, it has been claimed that Bellingham rejected Manchester United because the Red Devils were unable to guarantee him first-team football at Old Trafford.
And following his heroics in El Clasico for Real Madrid recently, the England midfielder has been compared to Los Blancos legend Cristiano Ronaldo.
Ben Hayward is a European football writer and Tottenham Hotspur fan with over 15 years’ experience, he has covered games all over the world - including three World Cups, several Champions League finals, Euros, Copa America - and has spent much of that time in Spain. Ben speaks English and Spanish, currently dividing his time between Barcelona and London, covering all the big talking points of the weekend on FFT: he’s also written several list features and interviewed Guglielmo Vicario for the magazine.