Real's Varane sidelined for a month

Los Blancos confirm centre-back has been diagnosed with grade two muscle tear in left hamstring

MADRID: 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 quarter-final against Bayern Munich before Barcelona's visit to the Spanish capital on April 23.