Rangers defence won't face Real Madrid's French superstar Karim Benzema in pre-season friendly

Real Madrid have confirmed Karim Benzema will not travel to face Rangers’ Connor Goldson, Leon Balogun or Filip Helander on Sunday.
Real Madrid's French forward Karim Benzema. (Photo by PIERRE-PHILIPPE MARCOU / AFP) (Photo by PIERRE-PHILIPPE MARCOU/AFP via Getty Images)Real Madrid's French forward Karim Benzema. (Photo by PIERRE-PHILIPPE MARCOU / AFP) (Photo by PIERRE-PHILIPPE MARCOU/AFP via Getty Images)
Real Madrid's French forward Karim Benzema. (Photo by PIERRE-PHILIPPE MARCOU / AFP) (Photo by PIERRE-PHILIPPE MARCOU/AFP via Getty Images)

Los Blancos are due in Glasgow for a glamour clash to mark the Ibrox side’s 150th anniversary season in a match which has caught the imagination of the Rangers support.

However one big name missing from the opposition line-up will be the French international forward Benzema. The 33-year-old has tested positive for coronavirus, the club confirmed in a short statement on Friday morning.

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The forward had spent the summer with Didier Deschamps’ French national team at Euro 2020, scoring four times for Les Bleus, before his return to the Santiago Bernabeu.

Carlo Ancelotti is not short on talent to replace the Frenchman though and could instead call upon the likes of Gareth Bale, Luka Jovic, Vinicius Junior or Marco Asencio for the challenge match in front of 12,750 fans at Ibrox.

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