Varane to miss key clashes

Real Madrid must negotiate a huge April programme including clashes with Atletico Madrid, Bayern Munich and Barcelona without Raphael Varane, who was diagnosed with a hamstring tear on Tuesday.

"After the tests performed today on our player Raphael Varane... he has been diagnosed with a grade two muscle tear in the left hamstring," Madrid said in a statement.

The club didn't specify how long the key centre-back might be out, but Spanish media reports suggest he will be sidelined for at least a month.

Varane returned from a month out with a similar problem in Sunday's 3-0 win over Alaves, but had to be replaced inside the first 10 minutes due to a recurrence of the injury.

The French international will miss Atletico's visit to the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday as well as both legs of Real's Champions League quarterfinal against Bayern Munich before Barcelona's visit to the Spanish capital on April 23.