Serious problems for Álvaro Arbeloa and Real Madrid: Jude Bellingham lasted less than 10 minutes on the pitch before bei

The atmosphere at the Santiago Bernabéu shifted from a furnace of tension to a cathedral of stunned silence in a matter of seconds. For Real Madrid and its global fanbase, the nightmare scenario unfolded early in the clash against Rayo Vallecano this Sunday, February 1st. Jude Bellingham, the club’s emotional and tactical heartbeat, triggered all the alarms after suffering an injury that, judging by the visuals and the player's immediate reaction, appears to be of a significant grade.

The episode occurred during the first half of the match. Bellingham was in the middle of a characteristic burst of pace, attempting to turn the defense and find space on the flank. Suddenly, without any contact from an opponent or a challenge for the ball, the Englishman pulled up short. He was struck by a sharp, sudden sensation of pain in his left leg that forced him to stop dead in his tracks.

In football, the "non-contact" injury is often the most feared. There was no collision to blame—it was a pure mechanical failure. Bellingham immediately signaled to the bench, dropping to the turf before a single word could be exchanged.

The coaching staff, led by interim manager Álvaro Arbeloa, took a few seconds to process the gravity of the situation, hoping it was a minor knock that could be "shaken off." However, one look into Bellingham’s eyes was enough to confirm the inevitable: his game was over.

While the 22-year-old was able to leave the pitch under his own power without a stretcher, his body language told a story of profound distress. Walking toward the tunnel with his head bowed and his hands covering his face, Bellingham looked like a man who knew he had just lost a significant portion of his season. If the worst is confirmed by medical tests, this image of a devastated Bellingham will likely be remembered as a turning point in the 2026 campaign.

Bellingham’s exit forced an emergency structural modification. Brahim Díaz was the chosen replacement, tossed into the fire without a proper warmup—a clear indication of how unexpected and critical the situation was. Brahim now faces the monumental task of filling the void left by Bellingham, who has been the indispensable "cog" in the Madrid machine.

Initial assessments from the Bernabéu medical staff point toward a muscular injury in the left hamstring. While official tests are pending to determine the exact degree of the tear, the outlook is grim. In the best-case scenario, Bellingham is looking at several weeks on the sidelines.

This couldn't come at a worse time for Arbeloa. With the Champions League playoffs against Benfica looming and a razor-thin margin for error in the La Liga title race, losing their most influential playmaker is a catastrophic blow. Real Madrid must now find a way to navigate the most decisive month of the season without their "Galáctico" leader.