Marcelo and Luka Modric
Marcelo and Luka Modric will miss the trip to Celta Vigo Getty

KEY POINTS

  • Modric is expected to return in around 10 days but the left-back could be out for up to a month.
  • Dani Carvajal is also ruled out due to another muscle injury.
  • Fabio Coentrao, Pepe and long-term absentee Gareth Bale also remain on the sidelines.
  • Zidane said last week that James Rodriguez could return in time for the trip to Vigo.

Luka Modric and Marcelo are set to miss the Copa Del Rey quarter-final decider with Celta Vigo on Wednesday night (25 January) after suffering muscle injuries during Real Madrid's 2-1 victory over Malaga on Saturday. The double blow for manager Zinedine Zidane came only days after he also had to rest Dani Carvajal due to a grade-two injury to his right biceps femoris.

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The former Tottenham midfielder already missed more than a month of competition earlier in the season after being forced to undergo surgery on his left knee in order to extract a fragment of damaged patellar cartilage. Marcelo, meanwhile, was also hit by a grade-two muscle strain in the soleus muscle of his right calf in September which kept him on the sidelines for some weeks.

And Real Madrid have now confirmed that the two key players are set for a new spell out of action after both were forced off in the weekend win over Malaga.

"Following tests carried out today on Luka Modric at the Sanitas La Moraleja University Hospital, he has been diagnosed with a strain in his right abductor muscle. His recovery will continue to be assessed," Real Madrid confirmed regarding the midfielder.

Meanwhile, they provided an even more concerning update over Marcelo's latest blow.

"Following tests carried out today on Marcelo at the Sanitas La Moraleja University Hospital, he has been diagnosed with a grade-two muscle injury in his left hamstring. His recovery will continue to be assessed," the La Liga giants added.

Real Madrid have failed to set a deadline on their recoveries but Marca suggests that, while Modric should be back in only 10 days, Marcelo could be on the sidelines for up to a month.

The news is a massive blow for Zidane ahead of the crucial trip to Celta for the second leg of the Copa del Rey quarter-final. Yet, Los Blancos suffered a 2-1 defeat at the Santiago Bernabeu and need a victory to keep alive their hopes of fighting for the treble this season.

Furthermore, Carvajal is also set to miss the game after last week Real Madrid revealed that the right-back suffered a grade-two injury to his right biceps femoris which could keep him out of action for between three to four weeks.

Meanwhile, James Rodriguez, Fabio Coentrao, Pepe and long-term absentee Gareth Bale also missed the weekend victory over Malaga and only the first one could be back for the trip to Vigo.