Real Madrid manager Álvaro Arbeloa intends to take a cautious approach with English midfielder Jude Bellingham following his return from a long-term injury at the start of February.
Bellingham returned from injury and came on as a substitute for just 17 minutes in the derby against Atlético Madrid before the international break, when he joined the England squad.
The Spanish newspaper ‘AS’ reported that Jude Bellingham has returned, but has not yet regained full fitness; returning to the squad is one thing, and reaching full fitness is another, and therefore, he still needs some time.
It added: “This is the conclusion agreed upon by both the Real Madrid coaching staff and the England national team, as Jude spent this period in London with the Three Lions, but he was not ready to play and did not play a single minute.”
She continued: “Everyone, including Jude himself, agrees that the risk of a relapse cannot be underestimated, not only for his sake, but also with the World Cup approaching.”
She noted that Bellingham has received medical clearance, but is still not fully ready to return to Real Madrid’s starting line-up.
Read also: Vinícius and Valverde miss Real Madrid training ahead of Mallorca clash
Bellingham spent the past week and a half with the England squad, training intelligently and calmly, but without actually playing; he did not feature against Uruguay or Japan.
Bellingham returned to Madrid yesterday and is now at Valdebebas, where he will join the Royal squad but under close medical supervision.
The newspaper added: “Caution is required: Bellingham will not start against Real Mallorca on Saturday, and it is almost certain he will not start in the first leg against Bayern Munich on Tuesday either. He will be in the squad for both matches and available to play for a few minutes, but his return will be gradual.”
She added: “The aim, of course, is for Bellingham to eventually become an undisputed first-team regular. But that is a medium-term goal; in the short term, the team that is performing well will remain unchanged: Federico Valverde on the right wing, with freedom to roam across the pitch, Tiago Petarich and Aurélien Tchouaméni in midfield, and Arda Güler on the left wing. This is the midfield that knocked Manchester City out, and it is expected to continue in this vein.”
The only expected change to Real Madrid’s starting line-up against Mallorca will be in attack; Mbappé will start against Mallorca, which will see Ibrahim Díaz return to the bench.
The question of how to integrate Bellingham into the team remains an issue for the future, and Arbeloa will at some point have to decide whether to bench Güler or Thiago to make room for him, but that moment will come later.
For the time being, Bellingham remains unfit to start, as he has not yet regained full fitness and needs more time to reach 100% readiness; receiving medical clearance is one thing, but being ready for real competition is another.
The newspaper concluded that the most realistic scenario is for Bellingham to return fully fit in Munich, two weeks’ time in the second leg of the Champions League quarter-final, and until then, caution will remain the guiding principle.
Read also: Laporta: Real Madrid has a very hidden interest in the Negreira case