Real Madrid provide injury updates on Dani Carvajal and Mateo Kovacic ahead of Atletico derby

Real Madrid right-back Dani Carvajal is in line to return to action during the La Liga derby against Atletico Madrid on 18 November after completing the last two training sessions with the rest of his available teammates.

Los Blancos have also provided a positive update on the recovery of Croatian international Mateo Kovacic, who was able to train lightly on his own both on Wednesday (8 November) and Thursday.

Carvajal has not played a single game since the 3-1 Champions League victory over Borussia Dortmund on 26 September after being diagnosed with a viral pericardium infection.

The Spanish international consequently missed Real Madrid's last eight matches, including the shock La Liga defeat to Girona and the 3-1 European loss away to Tottenham Hotspur.

However, he is stepping up his recovery during the international break and could be ready to return to action during the crucial derby at the new Wanda Metropolitano stadium.

Kovacic, meanwhile, has not played since suffering an adductor muscle injury in his right leg during the Champions League win over Apoel Nicosia on 13 September.

The Croatian has also taken a step towards recovery by completing some light training, but it remains uncertain if will be fully fit to face Atletico.

The double boost comes after Zinedine Zidane suggested at the weekend that both Gareth Bale and Raphael Varane should also be back to face Atletico.

The former Tottenham star also trained on Thursday with the players who are not away on international duty, while Varane has joined up with France for the upcoming friendlies against Wales and Germany.

Keylor Navas and Luca Zidane remain on the sidelines, but Marca recently reported that the former, Real Madrid's number one, should also be back to face Atletico.

"The team have just finished their second training session of the week over at Real Madrid City without the 13 players on international duty. Cristiano Ronaldo, [Karim] Benzema, Bale, Carvajal, Lucas Vázquez, Theo [Hernandez], Marcos Llorente and [Kiko] Casilla all trained on pitch 3 at Real Madrid City along with Manu Hernando, Tejero, Óscar, Dani Gómez, from Castilla, and Moha, from the Under-19s," the club confirmed following Thursday's training session.

"Ball work was at the heart of the session, before the Whites undertook ball control drills. They then turned their focus to passing and pressing, before practising crossing and shooting, and playing games on reduced size pitches. Keylor Navas, Luca and Kovacic continued their recovery processes. The Croatian again did some training with and without the ball before running out on the pitch."