Real Madrid Stars Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham Sidelined: The Shocking Reason They'll Miss Valencia Clash
Real Madrid will be missing two of their star performers when they take on Valencia this Sunday—Brazilian winger Vinicius Junior and English midfielder Jude Bellingham.
Following their Spanish Super Cup disappointment and Copa del Rey elimination, Los Blancos' primary opportunity for silverware this campaign lies in La Liga. Despite enduring a difficult November period, Xabi Alonso's departure and injury concerns, Real Madrid trail Barcelona by just four points in the table.
Victory at Mestalla would pull Álvaro Arbeloa's squad to within one point of their arch-nemesis, while an encouraging sequence of league fixtures in February provides the club with every chance to maintain pressure on the reigning Spanish titleholders.
The 15-time European champions will be missing the sidelined Bellingham during that period, and they will also be forced to do without Vinicius Jr this weekend.
Why Vinicius Junior Is Not Playing Against Valencia
Why Vinicius Junior Is Not Playing Against Valencia
Vinicius Jr will sit out Sunday's encounter due to accumulated yellow cards. The Brazilian received his fifth booking in La Liga during last weekend's 2–1 triumph over Rayo Vallecano, resulting in a one-game suspension.
In theory, facing 16th-placed Valencia isn't the most challenging fixture for Vinicius Jr to miss. Real Madrid previously thrashed the struggling team 4–0 in November, and certainly have sufficient attacking talent in Kylian Mbappé to secure victory in the return meeting.
However, visiting Valencia is rarely simple for Los Blancos; in recent seasons, there's consistently some controversy emerging on or off the field that overshadows the actual football being contested under Mestalla's floodlights.
Vinicius Jr, specifically, often finds himself at the heart of incidents at this away venue. The attacker faced racist chants from home fans in May 2023 that ultimately resulted in three supporters being arrested. Hostilities escalated again last season, culminating in the No. 7 receiving a red card.
Despite the 25-year-old's unavailability, Real Madrid should still anticipate an extremely hostile atmosphere awaiting them on Sunday evening.
Bellingham's Injury, Anticipated Length of Absence
Bellingham's Injury, Anticipated Length of Absence
Bellingham's hamstring problem presents a greater concern for Arbeloa, potentially sidelining the England international until mid-March.
The optimistic timeline sees him returning against Celta Vigo on Mar. 8, or alternatively versus Elche the subsequent week. However, any extended rehabilitation period could see Bellingham miss a crucial derby encounter with city rivals Atlético at the Bernabéu.
Bellingham will certainly be absent for both matches of the Champions League knockout playoff against Benfica, while also missing league encounters with Real Sociedad, Osasuna and Getafe.
"It's a considerable setback, but I possess an exceptional roster for that," Arbeloa commented regarding Bellingham's unavailability. "We shouldn't overlook that I believe we have 17 players here who claimed European glory eighteen months ago, and with them we'll navigate any absences we face."