Real Madrid's Karim Benzema suffers injury, set to miss Champions League opener

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Bengaluru, September 10: Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane faces an additional worry from Saturday's 1-1 La Liga draw at home to Levante after reports emerged that striker Karim Benzema is set to be sidelined for around a month with a thigh muscle injury.

Benzema limped off at the 26th minute of the game through injury after he twisted his ankle. The striker right at that moment went down in the dug out with the physio and winger Gareth Bale took his place from the bench.

And after some medical tests and analysis, the club released a statement saying he had endured a hamstring injury, which some of the Spanish media claimed that it would see him sidelined for four to six weeks out.

“Following tests carried out on Karim Benzema at the Sanitas La Moraleja University Hospital, he has been diagnosed with a muscular injury in the semimembranosus of his right leg.

“His recovery will continue to be assessed,” an official Madrid statement read.

The reigning European champions entertain APOEL Nicosia on Wednesday in their Uefa Champions league opener and now he is almost certain to miss the match. The French forward could also miss at least three La Liga games, as well as another Champions League match Borussia Dortmund against in the mean time.

Madrid will now mostly place Cristiano Ronaldo as the striker in midweek in Champions league, however, the Portuguese star won't be available for next week's outing to Real Sociedad as he is currently serving a five match La Liga ban.

Meanwhile, Madrid dropped points at home for the second consecutive game with a below-par display against newly promoted Levante at the Bernabeu after a draw against Valencia last week and the defending Champions are currently four points behind toppers Barcelona.