Real Madrid could be without the injured Raphael Varane for up to a month after he suffered an adductor injury.
The World Cup winner was withdrawn at half-time during Real’s 5-1 defeat to Barcelona on Sunday and the club have since confirmed that he has damaged his long-leg adductor, with reports suggesting Varane could be out for a month.
A brief statement read: "After the tests carried out on Raphael Varane by the Real Madrid medical services, he has been diagnosed with a muscle injury to the adductor in his right leg.
"The player's situation will continue to be monitored."
The Frenchman will be joined on the sidelines by Mariano Diaz, with the Brazilian having picked up an injury to his right bicep. It is unclear how long he is expected to be missing for the Spanish giants.
Also likely to miss some action is the forward’s compatriot Marcelo who, like Varane, left the pitch at Camp Nou with an injury.
While Mariano is expected to miss around a fortnight, it is thought that the full-back could be sidelined until some time after the international break in mid-November after aggravating a calf injury he initially picked up against Sevilla earlier in the month.
Muscle injuries have been a common occurrence during Madrid’s season with Jesus Vallejo, Gareth Bale, and Dani Carvajal all spending time in the treatment room for similar problems.
The absences of Marcelo and Varane could leave Real with personnel issues in defence, with cover lacking in the full-back positions in particular. Nacho, usually deployed in the heart of defence, has played on the left side of a back four before, but looked vulnerable in a woeful team performance last weekend.
Other options include academy graduate Sergio Reguilon, whose only senior appearance so far came in the 1-0 Champions League defeat to CSKA Moscow earlier in the season.
A lengthy injury list will only serve to compound Madrid’s misery, with the European champions sitting ninth in the Liga table having registered just one win in their last seven matches - a run that ultimately cost manager Julen Lopetegui his job .
Castilla boss and former player Santiago Solari has been handed the reins on a caretaker basis while a suitable replacement is sought .