Karim Benzema is facing weeks sidelined with a right thigh injury suffered in Real Madrid’s winning start to the defence of their Champions League crown at Celtic.

The France striker hobbled off after half an hour of Tuesday’s game at Parkhead with Real running out the impressive 3-0 winners.

Real manager Carlo Ancelotti initially downplayed the seriousness of Benzema’s injury after the game in Glasgow.

But after medical tests back in Madrid on Wednesday the club released a statement diagnosing “an injury to the semitendinosus tendon and a strain to the quadriceps muscle in his right thigh”.

“His recovery will continue to be assessed,” the statement added.

Spanish sports daily Marca predicted Benzema would be out of action for up to three weeks.

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