Worry for England? Jude Bellingham update as 22-goal Real Madrid star plays through painkilling injections

The England international did pick up a shoulder problem in early November, after suffering a dislocation, and has had to manage that ailment ever since. He is also the kind of all-action midfielder that will inevitably attract a few bumps and bruises from full-blooded tackles that are intended to slow him down.

Opponents have found that task difficult this season, with Bellingham registering 22 goals across all competitions. He has helped Real to La Liga title glory and the Champions League final, with that showpiece event at Wembley Stadium on June 1 set to see a reunion with former club Borussia Dortmund taken in.

Real want to have Bellingham fit and firing for their pursuit of a 15th European Cup, with the 20-year-old’s physical condition set to be monitored and managed carefully over the coming weeks. Ancelotti has said when asked about the youngster need injections to get through games: “He’s fine, he’s going to rest like everybody else, he doesn’t need more or less than the others. I’m going to rotate in these four games, he’s going to get in these rotations.”

Real can shuffle their pack through four remaining domestic fixtures, as they already have the Liga crown wrapped up. Gareth Southgate will be an interested observer when it comes to Bellingham’s playing time, with England eager to avoid any untimely knocks to a talismanic presence ahead of Euro 2024.