Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham suffered a muscle injury in his right leg during training on Friday, the club confirmed.
Sources told ESPN that Bellingham is expected to be sidelined until mid-September after the international break.
Madrid played their first home game of the season against Real Valladolid at the Bernabeu on Sunday after being held to a 1-1 draw away to Mallorca last weekend.
The match will mark the home debut for Kylian Mbappe, who moved to Madrid from Paris Saint-Germain this summer.
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“Real Madrid’s medical services carried out tests today on the player Jude Bellingham, who has been diagnosed with an injury to the plantar muscle of his right foot,” the club said in a statement.
“[Bellingham]has a knock,” manager Carlo Ancelotti said in a press conference on Friday. “We are currently assessing the situation.”
Midfielder Bellingham scored 19 league goals for Madrid last season and was named man of the match in last week’s UEFA Super Cup win over Atalanta to secure their first title of the season.
The addition of Mbappe to a La Liga and Champions League-winning squad has raised hopes for Madrid in 2024-25, but Ancelotti’s side came under criticism after dropping points against Mallorca.
“The assessment was quite clear,” Ancelotti said. “We were unbalanced at times and we have to improve on that. It’s not that complicated. If the problem is clear, the solution is also clear.”
Ancelotti denied there would be any problem with including striker Rodrigo in the squad alongside Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Bellingham.
“[Rodrigo]said he is very happy here,” Ancelotti said. “He works hard and is one of the best players in the game, so there are no problems for him.”