Real Madrid are set to face Valencia in a key La Liga clash on Matchday 23 as they look to close the gap on leaders FC Barcelona. However, with the season already past its midpoint, Los Blancos will be without two of their biggest stars, as both Vinícius Júnior and Jude Bellingham will miss the trip to Mestalla.
Vinícius Jr. will not be available against Valencia due to suspension. In the previous match against Rayo Vallecano, which ended in a dramatic win, the Brazilian winger was shown a yellow card, his fifth of the league campaign, triggering a one-match ban.
Bellingham’s absence, however, is more concerning. The English midfielder will miss the Valencia match after suffering an injury in the win over Rayo Vallecano, where he was visibly emotional as he left the pitch.
Medical tests conducted the following day confirmed that Bellingham has sustained a tear in the semitendinosus muscle of his left leg. The injury is expected to sideline him for approximately one month, ruling him out not only against Valencia but also for the upcoming UEFA Champions League playoff series against Benfica.
Jude Bellingham of Real Madrid goes down with an injury against Rayo Vallecano.
Real Madrid currently sit second in La Liga with 54 points, nine clear of third-placed Atlético Madrid and four behind Barcelona. A victory at Mestalla would cut the deficit at the top to just one point, but without two of their most influential players, it remains to be seen whether an in-form Kylian Mbappé can tip the balance in Madrid’s favor.
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Real Madrid’s lineup to face Valencia
In addition to Vinícius and Bellingham, Éder Militão and Rodrygo are also unavailable due to injury and were left out of the squad. As a result, head coach Álvaro Arbeloa is expected to field a rotated lineup, which will include the La Liga debut of 21-year-old right back David Jiménez.
Real Madrid’s confirmed lineup (4-3-1-2): Thibaut Courtois; David Jiménez, Raúl Asencio, Dean Huijsen, Álvaro Carreras; Federico Valverde, Aurélien Tchouaméni, Eduardo Camavinga; Arda Güler; Gonzalo García, Kylian Mbappé.
