Bellingham sparks concern with oxygen mask post after hamstring blow
Madrid's star midfielder Jude Bellingham has worried fans with Instagram photos showing him using an oxygen mask following his semitendinosus injury.
Real Madrid face anxious wait as Bellingham’s recovery methods raise eyebrows in England
Jude Bellingham has set the cat among the pigeons with his latest social media activity, sharing photos of himself using an oxygen mask following his hamstring injury against Rayo Vallecano.
Injury breakdown
The England international was forced off just nine minutes into Madrid’s recent clash after feeling a sharp pain in his left hamstring. Medical tests later confirmed a semitendinosus muscle injury in his left leg, with the club stating his return timeline remains “pending evolution”.
The 20-year-old sensation had already shown signs of discomfort before kick-off:
- Repeatedly touching the affected area upon arriving at the stadium
- Visible discomfort during warm-ups
- Forced to signal to the bench almost immediately after the match began
Recovery timeline
This setback comes at a terrible time for Los Blancos, with Bellingham expected to miss critical fixtures in both domestic and European competition. The diamond geezer looks set to be sidelined for league matches against:
- Valencia
- Real Sociedad
- Osasuna
- Getafe
More worryingly for Carlo Ancelotti, Bellingham is also likely to miss the Champions League tie against Benfica – a massive blow to Madrid’s European ambitions.
Oxygen mask controversy
Following confirmation of his injury, Bellingham posted images of himself using an oxygen mask on both Instagram and his personal JB5 app with the caption “life goes on.”
The photos have caused particular alarm in the British press, with some outlets suggesting the midfielder was in serious distress. One headline dramatically claimed Bellingham was “fearing” while “receiving oxygen” after being left in tears by the injury.
This isn’t Bellingham’s first injury this season. He missed the start of Madrid’s league campaign after shoulder surgery following the Club World Cup in the United States.
For Madrid fans, seeing their star man in an oxygen mask isn’t exactly what they were hoping for in their title chase. But the use of supplemental oxygen is a fairly common recovery technique for elite athletes – though the timing of sharing such images might raise questions about whether he’s having a bubble.