Real's Solari sidelined for three weeks

Real Madrid midfielder Santiago Solari will be out of action for around three weeks after injuring his knee during Tuesday night's 1-0 victory over Osasuna.

Club doctors said that scans carried out on Wednesday ruled out any serious ligament damage, but said the player would not be able to return to full training until the middle of October.

The Argentine international is likely to miss his side's next three league games as well as their second Champions League group match at home to AS Roma on September 28, a game both sides are desperate to win after losing their opening matches.

With Zinedine Zidane also sidelined for at least another two weeks after dislocating his shoulder during last week's 3-0 defeat against Bayer Leverkusen, new coach Mariano Garcia Remon now faces a shortage of players for the left side of midfield.

He may opt to use Raul as a makeshift inside left, a position the Real striker occupied to good effect during the Osasuna match after Solari went off injured.