Jude Bellingham has returned to training for Real Madrid, as he has now fully recovered from the hamstring injury that has sidelined him for several weeks. He could be in the mix for a spot on the bench for the capital city derby on Sunday. If Bellingham does return, it will only be for a cameo against Atletico Madrid. With Kylian Mbappe having returned to feature off the bench in midweek, the French superstar could be in line for a much bigger role this weekend. And in getting Mbappe and Bellingham back, Real Madrid have more of their galacticos at their disposal again. Elsewhere Ferland Mendy, David Alaba and Raul Asencio could all return to the squad here, and make an appearance before the March international break ensues.
El Derbi Madrileño FYIs
Kickoff: Sun. March 22, Estadio Bernabeau, Madrid, Spain
Google’s Result Probability: Real Madrid 49% Draw 25% Atletico Madrid 26%
La Liga Standing, Form: Real Madrid 2nd, 66 pts WLLWW Atletico Madrid 4th, 57 pts LWWWW
Real Madrid Team News
That said, the Madrid injury list, although shortening, still remains substantial, with Thibaut Courtois (thigh), Eder Militao (hamstring), Dani Ceballos (calf) and Rodrygo (knee) all set to miss out here. Shifting gears to the visitors, goalkeeper supreme Jan Oblak is a doubt due to a hip problem while Pablo Barrios (thigh) and Rodrigo Mendoza (muscle) are both ruled out of this one.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, RG.org and Ratings.org. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.