Real Madrid have been handed a bitter injury blow with captain Sergio Ramos set to be ruled out.
The Spanish defender picked up a problem whilst training on international duty throughout March, with scans confirming that he had sustained the injury.
In a statement released on Instagram, the 35-year-old wrote: “The truth is that I have been a pretty tough few weeks. An intervention is always a sporting and emotional break. Luckily, for a few days now I have been feeling better, but in football as in life, bad luck also plays a role.
“Yesterday, after the game, I was training on the pitch and I noticed a puncture in my left calf. Today I have been tested and it has been confirmed that I have a muscle injury.”
The injury is now set to keep Ramos out for a number of weeks, and for key matches in both the UEFA Champions League and Premier League.
Real Madrid first play Liverpool in Europe at the Santiago Bernabeu before a huge El Classico face-off with Barcelona next weekend. Meanwhile, the veteran could also be set to miss the return UEFA Champions League clash against Jurgen Klopp’s reigning Premier League champions.
As it stands, the Spaniards are the apparent underdogs to progress to the next round of the competition at a price of 11/10 with William Hill.
HOT! Weekly cashback betting offers for different markets 
