Karim Benzema is set to miss out on a return to Lyon, after medical tests revealed the Real Madrid star will be sidelined for at least a week.
The France international has definitely been ruled out of this weekend's Primera Division match against Xerez and is unlikely to recover in time for the first leg of their Champions League last-16 clash next Tuesday.
The news will be a big disappointment to Benzema, who progressed through the ranks at Lyon and was a key player for the French giants until his departure last summer.
A brief statement on the Madrid website read: "After a physical examination and an MRI carried out today in the Hospital Sanitas La Moraleja on the player Karim Benzema, swelling on the left adductor muscle has been diagnosed.
"Estimated layoff: seven days, depending on his clinical progress."
