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 have apparently already made up their minds about Alvaro Arbeloa’s future, and all signs point to Jurgen Klopp as the favourite to take over.

It’s been another rough year for Madrid. After going trophyless under Carlo Ancelotti in 2024/25—a real rarity for them—they brought in Xabi Alonso. He came in with a good reputation from his time at Bayer Leverkusen and, of course, his history as a Madrid and Liverpool player. But honestly, things fell apart fast. Alonso walked into chaos and just couldn’t steady the ship. Reports say he clashed with several big personalities in the squad, and it all came to a head when he left in early January.

With Alonso gone, Real turned to Arbeloa, who’d been managing the Castilla side. But from the start, it felt like a stopgap. The rumours about Klopp coming in didn’t go away, and Arbeloa’s results haven’t helped his case. His first game? Real crashed out of the Copa del Rey against Albacete. Then, just this week, they lost 4-2 to Mourinho’s Benfica and got knocked down to the Champions League play-offs. Sure, Arbeloa’s won his two La Liga matches, and Madrid’s only a point behind Barcelona, but it seems the club’s already looking past him.

A new report from Spain says Real Madrid have left Arbeloa out of their summer transfer plans. He’s there to steer the ship until the season ends, but that’s it. Florentino Perez trusts him to get them through for now, but the club’s already decided they want someone with more experience—Klopp leads the list, with Joachim Low as a backup option.

The same report claims Real are gearing up for a busy summer. Their number one target? Nico Schlotterbeck from Borussia Dortmund, who’s also been linked to Liverpool. He’s valued at 60 million euros, which Madrid apparently finds pretty appealing. They’re also after a new playmaker to fill the gap left by Luka Modric. Enzo Fernandez and Vitinha are the main names on their radar, and Rodri from Manchester City could be an option once his contract runs out in 2027.

There’s more. Madrid are apparently planning to move on from at least three players before next season. Ferland Mendy’s first on the transfer list. David Alaba’s contract runs out on June 30, and the club won’t renew it—he’s their second-highest earner, so his departure frees up a lot of money. And then there’s Eduardo Camavinga, who just hasn’t lived up to expectations. All in all, it looks like Madrid is heading for another big summer shake-up.