Jude Bellingham finally broke his silence after his hamstring injury this weekend, posting just three words: “Life goes on.”

Two days after limping off the pitch in tears against Rayo Vallecano, the Real Madrid star kept it simple on social media. The injury happened early in the match—Bellingham chased down a loose ball, pulled up in pain, and immediately grabbed his hamstring.

Madrid later confirmed he’s dealing with a semitendinosus muscle injury in his left leg. The club didn’t give a return date, but it’s looking like about a month out. That means he’ll miss at least eight games, including both legs of the Champions League knockout round against Benfica.

So yeah, life really does go on for Real Madrid, but losing Bellingham right now is brutal. They’re about to hit the hardest stretch of their season without their 22-year-old superstar.

Why Losing Bellingham Hurts So Much

You just can’t replace what Bellingham gives this team. The moment he left in the tenth minute on Sunday, Madrid lost their best playmaker, their engine in midfield, and maybe their most clutch player—all at once.

But here’s what people miss: Bellingham’s work rate is off the charts. He’s everywhere. He tracks back to help his defence, covers for teammates who aren’t interested in defending, and just never stops running.

Take the 4–2 loss to Benfica in the league finale. Bellingham made four tackles—just one less than the entire backline combined. He ran 6.5 miles in 90 minutes, more than anyone else on the team.

Before the game, Arbeloa even joked that Bellingham needed to “stop running so much.” It’s almost haunting, considering he got hurt chasing down the ball just days later.

So now the big question: who steps up while he’s out? Can anyone fill the void and keep Madrid’s La Liga and Champions League dreams alive?

How Madrid Tries to Cope Without Bellingham

Let’s be honest—no one in Arbeloa’s squad can match Bellingham’s all-round game. But there is one player who can at least fill in at the No. 10: Arda Güler. Don’t forget, the 20-year-old already did it at the start of the season while Bellingham recovered from shoulder surgery.

Güler was on fire early in 2025–26, notching seven goal contributions in his first nine games. His form dipped a bit once Bellingham came back and they had to share minutes, but now the stage is his again.

For Güler, getting another shot as the main playmaker is probably a relief. He’s struggled before when asked to play deeper or control the tempo. This time, he can just focus on pulling the strings up front.

Arbeloa will need Güler at his best to keep Madrid afloat. He’ll also lean heavily on Eduardo Camavinga and maybe Federico Valverde—plus Trent Alexander-Arnold once he’s back—to handle the defensive load Bellingham usually carries.

Real Madrid had a rough night in the Champions League, falling 4-2 to Benfica. The loss hit hard—Los Blancos dropped from third to ninth in the standings. Now, instead of cruising into the Round of 16, they’ve got to fight through a two-legged playoff.

There’s even a chance they’ll run into Benfica again when the draw happens on January 30. In this match, Benfica led 3-2 late, desperate for one more goal to clinch the final playoff spot. Then, in the last seconds, their goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin headed in a free kick. The stadium went wild.

Kylian Mbappé didn’t sugarcoat anything afterwards. Reporters asked him about the game and the ending, and he spoke his mind.

Mbappe didn’t hold back—he said Real Madrid deserved the loss.

Players tried to be honest about what went wrong, but Mbappe was especially direct. Speaking to several outlets, he called the last goal, the one they allowed to the opposing goalkeeper, a disgrace. He admitted it didn’t really change Madrid’s fate, but it added to their embarrassment. He said Benfica earned the win, plain and simple.

“That last goal we gave up was a disgrace. It didn’t change anything for us, except that it made us feel worse. We’re exactly where we deserve to be. We haven’t been consistent, and that’s what we need to fix. It stings to have to play the playoffs, but Benfica deserved it.”

He also talked to Real Madrid TV about what went wrong. “Benfica played like everything was on the line. We didn’t. That’s the difference. At the start, both teams had something to fight for, but only Benfica played as if it mattered. We forgot what was at stake.”

Asked about a possible rematch, Mbappe promised things would be different next time. “If we come back here, we’ll show up with a new attitude. The first balls, the duels—they won them not because of skill or tactics, but because they wanted it more.”