Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has confirmed that Karim Benzema will miss Sunday’s derby with Barcelona.
La Liga’s top scorer this season with 22 goals, Benzema will not be available to face the Blaugrana at the Santiago Bernabéu.
The France international netted twice in Monday’s 3-0 win over Real Mallorca but limped off late in the game, citing a calf problem.
Ancelotti, who is also without Ferland Mendy, has revealed that Benzema will not join the Blues in the upcoming international break either.
Speaking to the media during his pre-match briefing on Saturday, the Italian said: “Both [Benzema] and Mendy can’t play and they won’t go to France either. They stay in Madrid.
“He hasn’t trained with the group. He still feels some discomfort.
“Karim is a very important element, because he finishes all the work, but without him, we have to keep this work and look for different solutions.
“It has already been decided who will play [in his place]. But I won’t tell you.”
Benzema’s league goals have come at the rate of one every 93.55 minutes, while he also tops the assist charts with 11 already to his name.
When asked if he was worried about Benzema’s latest sacking, Ancelotti said: “He’s a 34-year-old player and sometimes it can happen to him.
“It was very minor annoyances and he recovered very quickly. When he came back he made a difference.
“We still have two weeks to work with him and then he will make the difference again.
“I don’t care if he doesn’t play tomorrow because we have time for him to play at the end of the season and make a difference.”
Real Madrid are comfortably top of La Liga, armed with a 10-point lead over second-placed Sevilla. Third-placed Barcelona are 15 points behind Real Madrid with one game less.
