Bellingham update: Real Madrid expect bellingham and Éder Militão back by April
Jude bellingham remains sidelined with a hamstring injury sustained on Feb. 1 against Rayo Vallecano, but Real Madrid are confident he and centre-back Éder Militão will be back in the first team by the start of April. The timing matters now because both players have trained on the pitch at Valdebebas and could return to selection ahead of key domestic and international commitments.
Bellingham hamstring timeline and early scans
Bellingham appeared to hold his hamstring after chasing a ball in the opening five minutes of the match against Rayo Vallecano on Feb. 1 and has missed the last two games with that injury. Initial scans after the game estimated a month out because of a muscle problem, and later updates have left the recovery window in flux: one assessment put him at four weeks out with a possible early-March return, another figure mentioned 6–8 weeks, and a further update indicated he has five weeks left to return.
Real Madrid medical view, Valdebebas training and the April target
Club medical staff have had both bellingham and Éder Militão training on the pitch at Valdebebas as they recover from muscle injuries. Real Madrid are confident the pair will be back in contention at the beginning of April, and both could return for the clash against Mallorca on April 5 if the timeline holds.
Militão's injury date and potential length of absence
Éder Militão suffered his injury on Dec. 7 against Celta Vigo at the Bernabéu. If Militão does return in April, that would see the defender's time out reach up to four months. Other indications have described Militão's problem as a severe hamstring injury with expectations he will be absent for at least another three weeks.
Immediate selection consequences: five fixtures and the international break
Manager Álvaro Arbeloa will be without both bellingham and Militão for at least the next five matches: Benfica, Getafe, Elche, Atlético Madrid at the Bernabéu and Celta de Vigo away. Those absences come in addition to the two players' international commitments for England and Brazil during the March break. England's head coach Thomas Tuchel faces the prospect of missing bellingham for two March internationals, and one commentary in the context noted the player may have only about two months to impress Tuchel ahead of later 2026 World Cup preparations.
Dean Huijsen doubt and Champions League re-evaluation
Dean Huijsen remains doubtful for Real Madrid's match against Benfica because of muscle discomfort. The club planned to re-evaluate the Spanish centre-back's physical condition in the next few hours to decide whether he will play in the Champions League playoff round second leg tie.
Rodrygo: mixed reports on recovery, fitness and suspension
There are mixed notes on Rodrygo in recent updates. One account says Rodrygo has fully recovered from a muscle injury, was fit for the game against Osasuna but the club chose not to take risks, and that he will not play against Benfica due to suspension before returning against Getafe. Another item states Rodrygo is dealing with right hamstring tendinosis and will need to be assessed before his availability for the Osasuna match can be determined.
Fixture context and commentary after Osasuna
A note dated 19 Feb 2026 13: 28, last updated 19 Feb 2026 13: 29, set out the immediate fixture context: Real Madrid were due to continue their La Liga campaign against Osasuna on Saturday evening, with Arbeloa's side top of the La Liga table, two points ahead of Barcelona, and Osasuna sitting 10th. Commentary in the wake of the Osasuna game included Alejandro Moreno saying Álvaro Arbeloa was wrong to substitute Federico Valverde, and Arbeloa stating Real Madrid can be "much better" after a stunning defeat; that defeat was described as a stoppage-time shock that opened up the title race, and Arbeloa called for a sanction over alleged racist abuse of Vinícius Júnior.
Return windows, a standalone possible date and competition implications
Different return windows have been presented: besides the April target, a possible return date listed was February 21 (vs. Osasuna). Longer timelines would push comebacks into mid-to-late April territory, which could see absences cover fixtures such as the home meeting with Atlético Madrid and potential Champions League round of 16 matches if Real Madrid qualify. In the immediate term, Real Madrid were noted as having no suspension issues for the Osasuna match.
As the club monitors recovery at Valdebebas and reassesses players like Huijsen in the coming hours, selection decisions for Benfica and subsequent La Liga matches will reflect evolving fitness updates for bellingham, Militão, Rodrygo and others.
