Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham has endured a full season of the rigors of top-flight football in the Spanish capital and has been almost ubiquitous despite his age. At one point it looked like a shoulder injury might get in the way of that.
Bellingham's form declined after he dislocated his shoulder in November 2023, but continued to play with protection on the shoulder. There was talk that he could need surgery before or after Euro 2024, but it appears he has escaped causing further damage.
However, the 21-year-old appears to have escaped serious damage. He was asked about it before Real Madrid's Intercontinental Cup final with Pachuca.
“It's okay, okay. I'm still in the sling, which is a little uncomfortable, but the overall feeling is pretty good.
Overall, Real Madrid have been seriously affected by injuries, something Bellingham says he is working to resolve.
“The number of matches. The staff looks for solutions to see what we need, tries to manage it and does it very well. But the burden of minutes piles up, causes fatigue and that takes its toll. There comes a point that affects performance, especially when you're competing against strong rivals and you need speed.
“But it is what it is. We have to play a lot of games and we will try to do our best. In the summer we can rest a lot, but now we have matches every three days.”
Real Madrid have suffered 27 injuries in 24 games so far, with Bellingham himself missing almost a month due to a hamstring problem. While Carlo Ancelotti is bringing back players, he will be without Dani Carvajal and Eder Militao for the rest of the season.
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