Real Madrid will be without Jude Bellingham for a pivotal stretch of the season after the England midfielder suffered a left hamstring injury early in Sunday’s dramatic 2-1 LaLiga win over Rayo Vallecano at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The club said Bellingham is expected to miss around a month.

The 22-year-old was forced off after just nine minutes, pulling up while chasing a long ball and clutching the back of his left thigh.

He left the pitch under his own power but visibly distressed, wiping away tears as the Bernabeu looked on.

His absence comes at a delicate moment for Madrid, who sit second in the league, one point behind Barcelona.

The schedule offers little respite, beginning with a tough away trip to Valencia next weekend, but the bigger blow is continental: Spanish media report Bellingham is unlikely to be fit for Madrid’s two-legged Champions League playoff against Benfica later this month.

On a tense and emotional night, Madrid still found a way. Kylian Mbappe converted a penalty deep into second-half stoppage time, his eighth goal in five matches, to seal the win and keep pressure on Barcelona, who beat Elche 3-1 on Saturday.

Vinicius Junior, booed early by sections of the crowd, responded with a moment of brilliance in the 15th minute, weaving past defenders and curling a superb right-footed shot into the top corner.

Rayo equalized shortly after the break through Jorge de Frutos and pushed Madrid hard despite finishing with nine men after Pathe Ciss was sent off in the 80th minute and Pep Chavarria later saw red for a second booking.

Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois produced a vital one-on-one save with the score level, while Mbappe earlier rattled the crossbar with an open net at his mercy.

Brahim Diaz, who replaced Bellingham, made an immediate impact, setting up Vinicius’ opener and later drawing the foul that led to Mbappe’s decisive penalty.

"We came from a tough defeat in the Champions League,” midfielder Federico Valverde said, referencing the midweek loss to Benfica that pushed Madrid into the playoff round. "We wanted to change that image, and I think we played a great game.”

Coach Alvaro Arbeloa, who replaced Xabi Alonso last month, praised the response. "The players gave their soul,” he said. "With the fans’ push, we found the victory.”

Rayo, winless in four straight matches, slipped to 17th place, just above the relegation zone, after a night that again showed Madrid’s resilience, but also the cost of losing their midfield linchpin at a critical time.