Real Madrid boss gives injury update on Gareth Bale and Keylor Navas ahead of Getafe and Tottenham

Karim Benzema, Marcelo and Theo Hernandez are expected to return to action, easing Zinedine Zidane's concerns ahead of a busy week that sees Real Madrid visit Getafe on Saturday (14 October) three days before welcoming Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League.

However, the French boss has provided mixed news regarding the injury recoveries of Gareth Bale, Keylor Navas, Dani Carvajal, Mateo Kovacic and his son Luca Zidane.

Benzema, Marcelo and Theo have missed Real Madrid's recent games due to various issues,but they have taken advantage of the international break and should be back available for the Madrid derby at Getafe.

Zidane suggested Benzema could even start against Getafe in order to gain match fitness ahead of the Champions League clash with Tottenham.

However, the Real Madrid boss was coyer on whether Marcelo or Theo will start at left-back, pointing out that he will need to rotate his squad ahead of a busy run of fixtures that sees Los Blancos facing seven games in the space of 23 days.

"Benzema wants to play and is a player who fits in with everyone. He's important for us and for everyone. I hope that tomorrow we can see that response and that connection that he has with Cristiano Ronaldo," the Real Madrid boss said.

"There's every possibilities in the world [regarding Macelo and Theo] but we have seven matches in a short space of time before the next break. We'll play every three days and we'll need them all. We'll go game by game, but the most important thing is tomorrow in Getafe."

Meanwhile, the Madrid derby will come too early for Bale, Keylor, Kovacic, Carvajal and third keeper Luca.

Bale has been out of action since being forced off during the 3-1 Champions League victory over Borussia Dortmund on 26 September.

The former Tottenham star was expected to recover in time to join up with his national team ahead of crucial 2018 World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and the Republic of Ireland. However, the Welshman was forced to withdraw from those internationals after a further problem in the soleus emerged.

Zidane said that Bale is progressing well but refused to set a timeframe for his return amid suggestions that the forward will also miss the visit of Spurs on Tuesday night.

"Every day he's better. He can't play yet. He's had two things: the first in Dortmund and then he aggravated something in the soleus. I can't tell you when or how, but he's better. We'll monitor it day by day. He wants to return as soon as possible and that's good. We're only interested in the present. After the Dortmund match he was only overloaded but two days later he wanted to try it and that's when he noticed something in the soleus," Zidane explained.

"In the end they are two different things and that's what happened. He went with Wales, did the scan and they detected something. We just have to take our time with him now. It's something that we can't control and the only good thing is that it wants to return. I'm neither a doctor nor a physiotherapist. I've got confidence in the people who work here. He's the first one who is upset but these things happen and they must be accepted. I hope he comes back soon and so does he."

Navas has also been labelled by the Spanish press as a doubt to face Tottenham after suffering a groin injury while on international duty with Costa Rica.

Kiko Casillas is thus ready to start against Getafe, and Zidane revealed that he will also need to promote either Moha Ramos or Javier Belman from the second team to make the bench as Luca is out due to a shoulder injury.

"I hope Keylor Navas's problem will keep him out just a few days. It's an overload in the abductor. We'll monitor it day by day but I don't think it's much," Zidane said, without confirming whether the Real Madrid number one will recover in time for the Champions League clash with Spurs.

"Luca's is a bit more serious because it's the shoulder. We'll see. Kiko's going to play and Moha and Belman are going to come with us too."

Carvajal, meanwhile, is certainly going to miss both games after having been diagnosed with a viral pericardium infection.

Zidane said that the Spaniard international right-back is also doing a good progress but made it clear that he won't be risked until being fully fit.

"With the heart we can't take it lightly and we must be patient. That's it. He's okay, relaxed and he knows that those who are dealing with his recovery are doing things perfectly," Zidane said. "We want him 100% and it's a matter of days. It could be a week or two and then he'll be at 100%. He wants to get back, but his health is the most important thing."