Madrid, Mar 19 (AP) Karim Benzema will miss Real Madrid's match against fierce rival Barcelona because of a leg injury, coach Carlo Ancelotti said Saturday.

Madrid hosts Barcelona on Sunday with an already commanding lead of the Spanish league.

Also Read | Kaun Pravin Tambe?: Here's All You Need To Know About Indian Cricketer Pravin Tambe Who Inspired Shreyas Talpade's Character in Disney+ Hotstar Movie.

Benzema has not yet recovered since hurting his left leg in Monday's 3-0 win at Mallorca.

“He can't play tomorrow because he has not trained yet and still feels some pain,” Ancelotti said.

Also Read | Aston Villa vs Arsenal, Premier League 2021-22 Free Live Streaming Online & Match Time in India: How To Watch EPL Match Live Telecast on TV & Football Score Updates in IST?.

“It is a small injury but it keeps him from training and, obviously, from playing.”

Benzema is having a superb season. He leads the Spanish league with 22 goals. Last week he scored a memorable second-half hat trick to rally Madrid to a 3-2 aggregate win over Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.

Madrid can still count on winger Vinícius Júnior, who has scored 14 times in the league this campaign. Ancelotti could start Marco Asensio in Benzema's place as a “false nine.”

Madrid enters the round with a 10-point lead over Sevilla. Barcelona is 15 points behind. (AP)

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)