Real Madrid Faces Farewell as Bellingham Misses Final Game of Season

Madrid, Spain — Real Madrid‘s final match of the La Liga season is set for Saturday against Real Sociedad, but there won’t be much to celebrate. The team is finishing a disappointing season without major trophies like La Liga, the Champions League, or the Copa del Rey. Despite winning the UEFA Super Cup and the Club World Cup, 2024-25 has not lived up to expectations for last year’s double winners.

One of the key events during this match will be the farewell of long-time player Lucas Vázquez. However, the departure of the iconic Luka Modrić, who announced this week that he will retire from La Liga after Saturday’s game, is overshadowing Vázquez’s exit. Additionally, coach Carlo Ancelotti is also conducting his final match for Los Blancos, marking the end of an era.

Among emerging talents, Jude Bellingham stands out, but he will miss the match due to a suspension. Bellingham was penalized for receiving his fifth yellow card during last weekend’s game against Sevilla. Madrid managers appealed the suspension, but the Spanish Football Federation upheld the ban on Thursday. Unlike the Premier League, there’s no midway cut-off point for suspensions in La Liga.

Earlier this season, Bellingham faced a two-match suspension for swearing at referee José Luis Munuera Montero during a match against Osasuna. Despite this setback, he is expected to return for the Club World Cup starting in June, where Madrid faces opponents Al Hilal, Pachuca, and RB Salzburg.

Even though Bellingham won’t play in this final match, he will represent England in summer fixtures against Andorra and Senegal on June 7 and 10, respectively. After the Club World Cup in mid-July, Bellingham is likely to undergo surgery for a lingering shoulder injury.