Karim Benzema will play in the 'Clásico'. The French forward is feeling a certain amount of soreness as he continues to make his way back from injury, but in theory his involvement in the meeting with Barcelona isn't in jeopardy.

The former Lyon star's niggles stem from the extra strain posed on his body by returning to the pitch after a sustained period on the sidelines and the fact that he did not perform strengthening work on his hamstrings earlier on in his recovery process, albeit he is putting that right now. This, rather than any serious setback, is why he withdrew from Monday's training session.

Benzema will continue to undergo physiotherapy over the coming days to relieve the soreness and ensure he is fighting fit to welcome Barça to the Bernabéu. The 27-year-old has had the 'Clásico' circled in red in his diary for some time and is raring to put all the off-the-pitch drama behind him by focusing on what he does best: playing football.