MADRID, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Real Madrid have confirmed that left back Ferland Mendy will miss Sunday's Clasico against FC Barcelona in the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, while striker Karim Benzema will be a doubt until just before the match.
Mendy has a groin injury and will be sidelined for around two weeks, which means he will also be unavailable for France in the forthcoming international break.
Benzema is struggling with a calf injury, which he suffered while jumping to head home side's third goal and his second of the night in their 3-0 win away to Mallorca on Monday night.
34-year-old Benzema has scored 22 league goals for Real Madrid in 25 appearances, to add to the eight goals he has netted so far in this season's Champions League and he is vital to the side.
Winger, Rodrygo Goes, who ended Monday's game with a foot injury after a wild challenge from Mallorca's Pablo Maffeo, will be available at the weekend.
Real Madrid will go into Sunday's match with a 10-point lead over second placed Sevilla at the top of La Liga and with 15 points more than Barcelona, who have played a game less.
Meanwhile La Liga has denounced a series of racist insults aimed at Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr by a section of Mallorca fans during Monday's game. La Liga's report advises that some fans made monkey chants at the Brazilian winger, while a shout of "go and collect bananas" was also heard.
Athletic Club Bilbao's Nico Williams was also the target for racist abuse from a small section of Betis supporters during his side's narrow 1-0 defeat in Betis' Benito Villamarin Stadium on Sunday. ■
