Football: Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane to miss Bayern and Barcelona clashes

Madrid (AFP) - Real Madrid must negotiate a huge April programme including clashes with Atletico Madrid, Bayern Munich and Barcelona without defender 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," Real said in a club 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 tie against Bayern Munich before Barcelona's visit to the Spanish capital on April 23.

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