Real Madrid News
Rival watch: Rayo Vallecano suffer major squad blow ahead of Real Madrid visit
Real Madrid return to La Liga action against Rayo Vallecano with little room for another slip-up, and their opponents could be without several important players at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Los Blancos arrive after opening their Champions League campaign with a 2–1 victory over Inter Milan.
Their domestic situation is less comfortable, though, after the defeat to Real Betis left them trailing Barcelona at the top of the table.
With Barça already putting together an impressive run, Real Madrid cannot afford to drop more points this early in the season.
Jose Mourinho will be looking for an immediate response when Rayo visit the capital.
The visitors, meanwhile, are dealing with a growing list of absentees.
Rayo Vallecano lose another forward
According to Mundo Deportivo, Rayo Vallecano will be without several players for the trip to Madrid, with Randy Nteka the latest addition to the injury list.
The Angolan striker suffered a muscle strain during training this week and is now expected to miss the match.
Rayo were already preparing for the game without Isi Palazon, who is recovering from a muscle injury. Goalkeeper Augusto Batalla is also unavailable after undergoing surgery for a fracture to his right tibia.
The absences do not end there. Fran Perez and Jorge de Frutos will both sit out after receiving red cards in Rayo’s previous league fixture.
Rayo manager Benat San Jose therefore faces some difficult selection decisions against a Real Madrid side that will be eager to build on its European victory.
More to the story
As per the outlet, there is also uncertainty surrounding Ivan Balliu.
The Albanian right-back picked up a heavy challenge in Rayo’s last match and his ankle is now badly bruised. San Jose has not ruled him out, but the defender faces a race against time to be fit.
“His ankle is badly bruised, but he’s a tough one and is doing everything he can to be fit.”
Real Madrid cannot afford another La Liga setback
For Real Madrid, the Champions League victory over Inter provided a positive response after the Betis defeat, but domestic consistency is now the priority.
Barcelona’s early form has already created pressure at the top of the table, making every dropped point more costly.
Rayo’s depleted squad should make life more difficult for San Jose, although Real Madrid still have to turn that advantage into three points.
Real Madrid News
Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham makes England history with phenomenal four-goal contribution vs Croatia
Real Madrid superstar Jude Bellingham has not put a foot wrong since the World Cup in North America in the summer.
He has been scoring and creating chances for fun for both England and Real Madrid, and that trend has carried into the international break.
Bellingham has produced another reminder of his extraordinary attacking influence, with the Madrid midfielder making England history after recording four goal involvements in a single match, which came against Croatia (1G, 3A).
According to Opta, Bellingham became the first England midfielder to achieve the feat since David Platt recorded four goal involvements against San Marino in February 1993.
Bellingham ends 33-year wait
That means more than three decades have passed since an England midfielder last managed what Bellingham has just produced.
That statistic is another illustration of why Bellingham cannot simply be judged as a conventional central midfielder.
4 – Jude Bellingham is the first midfielder to record four goal involvements in a match for England since David Platt scored four against San Marino in February 1993. Phenomenal. https://t.co/2LNCXbEQXd
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) October 3, 2026
His ability to arrive around the penalty area, create chances and directly influence goals gives him an attacking dimension that very few midfielders possess.
Four goal involvements in one international match is exceptional regardless of the opposition or circumstances.
Doing something no other England midfielder had managed since 1993 puts the performance on a much higher pedestal.
Mourinho has an extraordinary weapon
Mourinho already knows how valuable Bellingham can be when given the freedom to operate close to Madrid’s attack.
His ideal position will always be a dilemma. He has the physical qualities to contribute deeper, the technical ability to help progression and the intelligence to operate between the lines.
However, performances like this are precisely why Madrid should be careful about moving him too far away from goal.
Bellingham’s greatest quality might be that he does not need to dominate possession to dominate a football match. He knows the exact moment to be decisive.
Bellingham returns to Madrid in spectacular form
International breaks can often make Madrid nervous, particularly when key players are involved, but Bellingham will return having enjoyed an extraordinary time with England.
The numbers speak for themselves. Madrid possess plenty of attacking talent, but Bellingham is the glue that holds everything together.
Mourinho’s task is to build a structure that maximises that, and judging by Bellingham’s start to the season, he has done it to a large extent.
It remains to be seen whether the England midfielder can sustain his form in the coming weeks and months for Real Madrid.
