The England star will be in the squad for Saturday’s game, just three days before the Champions League clash against RB Leipzig.
Jude Bellingham is back after injury. The Real Madrid midfielder is not yet 100%, but he is not far from it. 19 days ago, on February 10, he sprained his left ankle in the 4-0 win over Girona, and the club’s medical department estimated he would be out for three weeks.
The Champions League Round of 16 second leg against RB Leipzig (Wednesday March 6) was the scheduled date for his return, although it was hoped he would be fit to play against Valencia at the Mestalla a few days earlier (Saturday March 2). The Whites’ prayers have been answered, as Bellingham, who has not suffered a setback, will be in the squad for this match.
Champions League match against Leipzig will influence Bellingham’s decision
The big question now is whether he will start or not. Saturday’s encounter promises to be an exciting one and the fact that the European match against Leipzig takes place in a few days will likely be a determining factor. If there is any risk of recurrence, Bellingham will start on the bench, which seems to be the most likely scenario.
The 20-year-old is almost completely recovered. Last weekend he started running again, on Monday he was seen working with the ball and in recent days he has accelerated again. A tailor-made recovery plan was drawn up and has gone smoothly so far, with no hiccups.
If Bellingham is still feeling a little tender, his ankle will be strapped – as a precaution – to give him extra support and, in theory, allow him to play without pain. Interestingly, the England star’s current injury is the ‘worst’ he has experienced in his career. Previously, his longest periods of unavailability had been 17 days (at the start of the season) and 11 days (while playing for Borussia Dortmund), each time due to a dislocated shoulder. This ankle problem started 19 days ago but seems to be coming to an end.
