Jude Bellingham Returns to Real Madrid Squad for Champions League Opener
Fit-again England midfielder Jude Bellingham has been named in Real Madrid's squad for Tuesday's opening Champions League fixture against Marseille.
The 22-year-old underwent surgery for a long-standing shoulder issue in July and has not played since the FIFA Club World Cup this summer.
Bellingham has faced challenges with this injury since 2023, when he dislocated his shoulder during a match against Rayo Vallecano.
After returning to training last week, he has been included in coach Xabi Alonso's 23-man squad for the match at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.
Bellingham joined Real Madrid from Borussia Dortmund for £115 million two years ago, winning both the La Liga title and the Champions League in his first season, during which he scored 23 goals in 43 appearances.
In the previous season, he netted 15 goals in 58 matches, as Los Blancos finished second in La Liga to Barcelona and were eliminated from the Champions League in the quarter-finals by Arsenal.
Fellow Englishman Trent Alexander-Arnold has also been included in the squad for the encounter with the Ligue 1 side. The former Liverpool defender played the final eight minutes of Real Madrid's 2-1 victory over Real Sociedad at the weekend, having struggled to secure a starting position over the experienced Spanish full-back Dani Carvajal.
Alonso praised Carvajal's "competitive spirit" and the "influence he holds as a captain," emphasizing their importance to the team.
“He [Carvajal] was still recovering while we were in the United States, but now that he’s fit enough to play, you can see the positive impact he has on everyone around him,” Alonso remarked. “We need leaders like him in the dressing room; they are crucial. Carva is an example of that, and we need that strong core to guide the rest.”