Real Madrid boosted by Bellingham for Marseille clash
Real Madrid face Marseille in the opening Champions League match of the season, with England midfielder Jude Bellingham back in the squad after shoulder surgery. The 22-year-old, sidelined since the FIFA Club World Cup, first sustained the injury in 2023 against Rayo Vallecano before making his return to training last week.
Bellingham joined Madrid from Dortmund for £115m two years ago. In his first season, he scored 23 goals in 43 games and won both La Liga and the Champions League. Last season, he scored 15 goals in 58 matches, but Madrid lost the league to Barcelona and were knocked out of the Champions League in the quarter-finals by Arsenal.
Trent Alexander-Arnold is also in the squad. Coach Xabi Alonso praised Dani Carvajal, saying, 'He was still recovering while we were in the United States, but now he's fit enough to play. You can see what a positive impact he has on everyone around him.’
