Real Madrid will be without their striker Karim Benzema for the Champions League quarter-final return against their fierce city rivals Atlético on Wednesday.

The loss of their centre-forward for the must-win tie comes amid an unexpected injury crisis for the European champions who lost Gareth Bale and Luka Modric in the 3-1 victory over Málaga on Saturday, a game missed by Benzema.

Bale limped off with an apparent calf strain early on in the game and is a doubt for Wednesday’s match while Modric has sprained a ligament in his right knee which will rule him out for six weeks.

Real, who face Atlético at the Santiago Bernabéu having drawn the first leg 0-0, may now turn to Javier Hernández to fill the gap left by Benzema.

The on-loan Manchester United striker came on for Bale after five minutes of the Málaga match and set up Ronaldo for Real’s third goal.

Real put out a statement saying: “Following tests carried out on Karim Benzema at the La Moraleja Sanitas Hospital by Real Madrid Medical services, he has been found to have a sprain to the medial collateral ligament of his right knee. His situation will be monitored.”