Madrid: Ahead of Sunday’s trip to an in-form Real Sociedad, La Liga champions Real Madrid have been dealt a massive blow as midfielder Toni Kroos is the latest addition to the casualty list.
Kroos missed training on Saturday with a minor muscle problem and joins the suspended Cristiano Ronaldo and Marcelo and injured Karim Benzema, Mateo Kovacic and Jesus Vallejo on the sidelines.
"Toni has felt discomfort and we are not going to risk anything," Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane said. "During the course of the season there are complicated moments and that's what we have now with injuries."
Real already trail rivals Barcelona by four points in the La Liga title race after just three games.
Sociedad meanwhile are level with Barcelona at the top of the table after their best start to a league season since 1981.
Ronaldo showed Madrid what they have been missing in draws against Valencia and Levante as he returned to score twice in a comfortable 3-0 win over APOEL Nicosia in the Champions League in midweek.
However, the World Player of the Year is absent once more as he completes his five-game domestic ban for pushing a referee in the Spanish Super Cup.
"We need to think that this is our last game with Cristiano out," added Zidane.
"We need him, he is an important player, but we have a squad good enough to do well even when he isn't there.
"Tomorrow we can't count on many players that normally play, but I believe in my players that we will perform well."
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