Jude Bellingham Set To Miss Real Madrid's Next Few Games After Suffering Ankle Sprain

Real Madrid midfielder, Jude Bellingham, is set for a short period on the sidelines after his club confirmed the status of an ankle issue.

Bellingham had to be substituted off just before the hour mark in his side's 4-0 win over Girona on Saturday. Bellingham was brought down in the 52nd minute of the La Liga clash as Pablo Torre stepped on his foot, leaving him in discomfort and requiring treatment.

At the time of the incident, Bellingham was having an impact on the game as he had put away Real Madrid's second goal of the contest in the first half with a smart finish by rounding the goalkeeper.

The England star was able to initially play on after the injury and he even managed to score another goal right after as a close-range tap-in put his side 3-0 up.

However, Bellingham was unable to play any further part in the match and he was taken off for Brahim Diaz. An ice pack was seen around the player's ankle whilst he sat on and watched the remainder of the match from the team bench.

On Sunday, Real Madrid released a statement which provided confirmation of the midfielder's ankle problem. It read: "Following tests carried out today on Jude Bellingham by the Real Madrid medical services, he has been diagnosed with a sprain in his left ankle. His recovery will be monitored."

Whilst the club did not confirm how long Bellingham's ankle sprain would keep him out for, reports in Spain suggest he could be missing for up to three weeks.

Real Madrid will definitely be without Bellingham for the UEFA Champions League round of 16 first-leg tie away to RB Leipzig on Tuesday night. He will then likely miss La Liga games against Rayo Vallecano, Sevilla and Valencia.

The second leg against RB Leipzig on 6th March will presumably be targeted as a return date for the 20-year-old.

Bellingham has been a revelation since joining Real Madrid from Borussia Dortmund for £88.5 million last summer as he has immediately settled into becoming one of the club's most clutch and top performers. Therefore, his presence in the midfield will be a big miss over the coming weeks.

Real Madrid's win over Girona was crucial as it cemented the club's place at the top of the La Liga table and left their opponents from Saturday trailing five points behind in the second spot. Also, Barcelona's 3-3 draw at home to Granada on Sunday means Real Madrid now hold a 10-point advantage over its historic rival in third place.

However, despite now being in a strong position in the league, there will be some concern for Carlo Ancelotti's side over the next few weeks as Bellingham has netted 20 goals in all competitions this season.

Since Karim Benzema departed for Al-Ittihad last summer, Real Madrid have not deployed a recognised striker in the starting 11 often, with Bellingham playing in an advanced midfield role behind Rodrygo and Vinicius Jr, who operate as wide forwards.

Due to this, frequent goals from midfield are crucial and Bellingham has been able to provide that. As the Englishman will be absent over the coming weeks, midfielders such as Federico Valverde, Toni Kroos, Aurelien Tchouameni and Dani Ceballos may be required to chip in with a few goals.

England boss Gareth Southgate will be pleased that Bellingham's injury will only keep him out for a short period. It means the midfielder should be back up to full speed by the time the next international break arrives in late March, with England scheduled to play friendlies against Brazil and Belgium.

Bellingham is set to be among England's most influential players when the UEFA European Championships comes around in Germany this summer.

Elsewhere in La Liga, Atletico Madrid striker, Alvaro Morata, will be out for a few weeks after he picked up a knee injury in his side's 1-0 loss to Sevilla on Sunday.

Initially thought to be a more severe problem due to leaving the pitch in tears, Morata may actually return for Atletico Madrid's second-leg tie in the Champions League round of 16 against Inter Milan next month.