Bellingham's start to the season was inevitably difficult, having had shoulder surgery in July for a long-standing injury he sustained in 2023.

He missed 63 days of training and playing, including five matches for Los Blancos.

In his first appearance back in late September, he was welcomed to the pitch with a huge roar as his return thrilled the Madridistas.

"Bellingham has nothing to prove on Sunday," said Real supporter Carlos Campillo. "He already does that with every game he plays in and every assist he makes. He doesn't have to prove anything to anyone but himself.

Fellow fan Juan Antonio Lillo added: "It's not a decisive game for him. He needs to keep picking up pace and getting a feel for the game. It's just one more step towards reaching the level he needs to be at and he'll get there sooner or later."

Since Bellingham's return, he has appeared in six more fixtures in all competitions, slowly increasing his minutes and trying to rediscover his best form.

For much of that stretch, however, his influence was limited - until this week, where his match-winning goal in the Champions League...