Real Madrid sweating over midfielder’s fitness after fresh injury concern emerges following Espanyol win | OneFootball

Real Madrid may have opened their 2026/27 La Liga campaign with a win, but Jose Mourinho could already be dealing with another fitness concern ahead of the next match.

Jude Bellingham was one of the standout performers against Espanyol and played a decisive role in getting Madrid’s season underway. 

The England international opened the scoring inside nine minutes, heading home an excellent Arda Guler free-kick.

However, the midfielder’s evening did not end without concern.

According to journalist Arancha Rodriguez, as relayed by Defensa Central, Bellingham was seen with ice on his ankle after the match and appeared to be in discomfort when he left the pitch. 

With Real Madrid already without Aurelien Tchouameni and Endrick because of muscle problems, the possibility of another injury would be far from ideal for Mourinho.

For now, there is no indication of a serious problem, but with Real Sociedad waiting in the next La Liga fixture, Bellingham’s condition will be one of the key things to watch when Real Madrid return to training.

Bellingham’s goal was followed by uncomfortable finish

For what it is worth, there was little to suggest a problem early in the game.

Bellingham looked sharp from the start and made his presence felt in the opposition box, timing his run perfectly to meet Guler’s delivery and put Real Madrid ahead. 

However, the picture changed late in the match.

Bellingham did not complete the full 90 minutes and was substituted in the 80th minute. 

Reports suggest that he was walking with a slight limp, while there were also signs that he was struggling when celebrating Carlos Espi’s goal.

It is not yet clear when exactly the knock occurred or whether it will affect his availability for the Real Sociedad game, but the fact that he finished the night with ice on his ankle has raised questions around the Real Madrid midfielder.

Mourinho will now hope it is simply the kind of knock that can be managed within a few days rather than an injury that forces one of his most important players onto the sidelines.

Real Madrid waiting for Bellingham update

The concern is made greater by Real Madrid’s existing injury problems.

Tchouameni and Endrick were both unavailable for the Espanyol match, leaving Mourinho with fewer options than he would have liked at the very beginning of the season. 

Hence, losing Bellingham as well, even temporarily, would complicate matters further.

Arancha Rodriguez offered the following update on the midfielder’s condition, stating, 

“Madrid return to training this Monday at 10 am. We’re keeping an eye on Bellingham, who we saw finishing the match against Espanyol with ice on his ankle. 

“Let’s hope it was just a knock and that he’ll be available for Wednesday,” said Arancha Rodriguez.

The next Real Madrid training session should therefore provide a clearer picture.

It must be remembered that Mourinho raised eyebrows with his starting selection vs Espanyol, particularly with Guler also in the team, but the pair [Bellingham and Guler] combined immediately for the opening goal.