Midfielder Marcos Llorente looks set to be out for at least three weeks after suffering a strain of the adductor muscle in his left groin, Real Madrid have confirmed.
Llorente enjoyed a rise to prominence towards the end of 2018, starting their last three LaLiga games as well as Club World Cup wins over Kashima Antlers and Al Ain.
But the 23-year-old's development has taken a hit, with an adductor strain troubling him during the mid-season break.
Madrid confirmed the injury is a "grade two" problem, meaning Llorente could miss between three and six weeks of football.
He looks likely to at least be out for games against Villarreal, Real Sociedad, Leganes, Real Betis and Sevilla, but a six-week layoff could also see him ruled out of contests with Espanyol, Deportivo Alaves and Atletico Madrid.
