Which matches Jude Bellingham could miss for Real Madrid after hamstring injury? Will he feature in UEFA Champions League play-off against Benfica?

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Jude Bellingham limped off for Real Madrid in their dramatic 2-1 win over Rayo Vallecano in what could be a major blow to Alvaro Arbeloa's push for both La Liga and Champions League honours. Bellingham was replaced by Brahim Diaz with what appeared to be a left hamstring injury just 10 minutes into the La Liga clash at the Bernabeu. Los Blancos now face a nervous wait on his injury timescale.

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Jude Bellingham limped off in Real Madrid’s dramatic 2-1 win over Rayo Vallecano in what could be a major blow to Alvaro Arbeloa’s UEFA Champions League push.

The England midfielder pulled up after just 10 minutes and was replaced by Brahim Diaz with what appeared to be a left hamstring injury.

Bellingham was in tears as he left the field, though he was able to walk off the field unaided in what Arbeloa described as "a very significant loss".

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Real Madrid went on to win the game 2-1 thanks to a 97th-minute penalty from Kylian Mbappe to ensure they trail Barcelona by just one point.

But the main talking point post-match was undoubtedly Bellingham's injury. He will now face a race against time to be fit for key games for both club and country.

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When asked about Bellingham’s condition, Arbeloa said: "We still don’t know anything about Jude, he was in perfect condition to play.

"And after so much effort... well, it’s a very significant loss.

"But I have an extraordinary squad, let no one forget that we have 17 players here who were European champions a year and a half ago.

"With them, we’ll overcome whatever challenges come our way."

Real will find out the severity of Bellingham’s injury in the coming days but, with the nature of the injury and it coming after he chased down a loose ball, he may well miss a few matches.

Real Madrid travel to Valencia next week, where they will once again be hoping to overtake Barcelona at the top of the La Liga table.

They then return to the Bernabeu to host Real Sociedad before travelling to Lisbon to face Benfica, looking for revenge after their dramatic 4-2 loss to the Portuguese side in matchweek eight of the UEFA Champions League's league phase.

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Los Blancos then travel to Osasuna as the fixtures ramp up, with the second leg of the play-off against Benfica coming the following week.

There will be concern for England, too, with the World Cup on the horizon and warm-up matches against Uruguay and Japan scheduled for late March.

Thomas Tuchel names his squad for this summer's tournament in North America in May, and Bellingham is expected to be one of the key figures for the Three Lions.

But the 22-year-old has not been a guaranteed starter of late for England, with Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers often preferred by Tuchel.

Missing the friendlies in March could be a blow to Bellingham's chances of asserting himself once again as a key figure for the national team.

Bellingham has played 26 matches for Real Madrid this season, scoring six goals and assisting four times in all competitions.

He was vital to the Real Madrid side that won the Champions League two years ago, with four goals and five assists in 11 matches as Los Blancos won their 15th European title.

Real Madrid upcoming fixtures

Valencia (a) – La Liga: Sunday, February 8
Real Sociedad (h) – La Liga: Saturday, February 14
Benfica (a) – UEFA Champions League play-off, first leg: Tuesday, February 17
Osasuna (a) – La Liga: Sunday, February 22
Benfica (h) – UEFA Champions League play-off, second leg: Wednesday, February 25

Stream the Premier League, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Conference League, Serie A and Men's and Women's FA Cup and more on TNT Sports and discovery+.

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