Real Madrid pay Courtois injury toll as goalkeeper sidelined for 6 weeks

This week's Champions League game has left Real Madrid with a significant injury bill to pay, with tests carried out on Thursday confirming that Belgian international goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has suffered a muscle injury, reported Xinhua.

"Following tests carried out today on our player Thibaut Courtois by the Real Madrid Medical Services, he has been diagnosed with a muscular injury in the rectus femoris of his right quadriceps," informed the Real Madrid website.

Although the club didn't give a return date, saying only that the injury was "awaiting evaluation," the Spanish sports paper Diario AS reported that Courtois could be out of action for at least six weeks. That means Courtois misses Sunday's derby at home to Atletico Madrid, along with several more La Liga matches and the Champions League quarterfinal against Bayern Munich, with Andriy Lunin set to step in.

FC Barcelona had better news on the injury front, with confirmation that goalkeeper Joan Garcia and defender Eric Garcia, who were both forced out of Wednesday's 7-2 win at home to Newcastle United with apparent muscle problems, are not injured and both will be able to play against Rayo Vallecano on Sunday.

Joan Garcia's fitness is especially significant with his performances this season leading to calls for Spain coach Luis de La Fuente to include him in the Spain national team squad that is due to be named on Friday.