Carlo Ancelotti could be without up to seven first-team players when his Real Madrid side travel to Inter Milan for their opening group-stage match in the Champions League on Wednesday night.
French left-back Ferland Mendy and Spanish midfielder Dani Ceballos – who have yet to play for Los Blancos so far this season – are two players who will not be available for selection, as the pair are suffering with respective leg and ankle injuries.
Experienced left-back Marcelo is also ruled out after picking up a muscle injury in training on Monday, so 20-year-old Miguel Gutierrez – who has played in the last two league matches – is set to start in defence.
Toni Kroos is another who is yet to feature so far this campaign due to a groin problem and confirmed last week that he is still unsure as to when he will be able to return. The 31-year-old German is therefore highly unlikely to feature in midweek.
Gareth Bale and David Alaba were both ruled out of Sunday's 5-2 victory against Celta Vigo and are both doubtful for the trip to Inter. Bale picked up a hamstring injury in the build-up to last weekend's game, while Alaba came back from international duty with Austria suffering from muscle overload.
Serbian striker Luka Jovic also missed the win against Celta due to gastroenteritis and will be assessed before kickoff to see whether he is well enough to participate at the San Siro.
Veteran midfielder Luka Modric, who turned 36 last week, could become the second-oldest outfield player to represent Real Madrid in the Champions League, after Chendo back in 1997, if he is selected to play on Wednesday.
Karim Benzema, who scored a hat-trick last weekend, needs just one more goal to move ahead of club legend Raul into outright fourth place on the all-time list of goalscorers in Champions League history.
Benzema and Raul are currently tied on 71 goals in the competition and the Frenchman is one of just three players, along with Ryan Giggs and Lionel Messi, who has scored in 16 Champions League seasons.
Real Madrid possible starting lineup: Courtois; Carvajal, Militao, Nacho, Gutierrez; Valverde, Casemiro, Modric; Hazard, Benzema, Vinicius Jr
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