Zidane confirms James Rodriguez setback

Real Madrid's monitoring of James Rodriguez is yet to produce a clear timeframe on when the Colombian can return from a calf problem, but Zinedine Zidane has admitted that the injury has struck the midfielder again, this time in his other leg.

Coming back from a strain to his left calf muscle, James hasn't played since January 7 when Los Blancos beat Granada amid a wider spate of fitness blows to the capital club squad.

Radio Caracol report that the midfielder now faces a three week lay-off having damaged his left leg just as his previous complaint was bringing him back towards match action.

Now that has been corroborated by Zidane, who has maintained that the issue is simply a consequence of his original recovery programme.

"It's an overload, not an injury," said the Frenchman to reporters. "When you have a problem in one leg, you compensate with the other, and that's what caused it.

"I hope it's a small thing."

Therefore it is impossible that Rodriguez will make a risky comeback in the Copa del Rey second leg with Celta Vigo on Wednesday night, having missed the final training session before Real travel to Galicia.