Zinedine Zidane’s Real Madrid have been handed a boost as Karim Benzema, Marcelo and Theo Hernandez have all returned to first team training ahead of their La Liga clash with Getafe and a Champions League match against Tottenham.
The Champions League holders confirmed the news on their official site, and it is bound to go down well with fans who have seen their side make a brilliant start to the new season.
Benzema and Hernandez are more likely to start for the Los Blancos’ next two matches, with Marcelo having come through the first part of a workout on Wednesday.
The Brazil international had suffered a ‘a grade 2 tear’ in his bicep femorus muscle against Real Betis, Hernandez was ruled out with a shoulder injury picked up against Levante and Benzema had been out with a muscle injury he had against Levante.
The club’s site read: “Real Madrid returned to training today (on Wednesday evening), completing the first session of the week without the 14 players who have been called up for their national sides.
“Casilla, Luca, Theo, Llorente, Lucas Vázquez, Benzema and Marcelo trained out on pitch 3 with the Castilla squad. The Brazilian full-back completed the first part of the session with the group, before finishing off on his own.”
Madrid will be eager to get Marcelo and Benzema in particular back into the first team – Zidane’s men have struggled so far in La Liga, and need to close the seven-point gap on rivals Barcelona.
They face Getafe up next in the La Liga fixtures and then a potentially tough tie against Spurs in the Champions League on 17 October at the Santiago Bernabeu.
In order news, Dani Carvajal’s heart problem will keep the right back out for a minimum of two months, according to reports in Spain.
Madrid broke the shock news about the Spaniard’s heart problem at the weekend, revealing that Carvajal had been diagnosed with ‘viral pericardium infection’.
Initial reports suggested that the defender could out for up to six weeks but now Spanish paper Marca are claiming that Carvajal will be out of action for lengthen period.