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Asensio to miss Champions League tilt due to infected pimple from shaving leg

REUTERS/Juan Medina

Hamstrings, groins, knees - these are just some of the usual suspects behind injuries and absences across the world of football. But Marco Asensio won't be missing Real Madrid's Champions League opener against Apoel Nicosia for any of the usual reasons.

Instead, Asensio has been ruled out due to an infected pimple causing discomfort when wearing a sock, an injury he picked up while shaving his legs.

"He has a pimple on his leg which means he cannot lift his sock," coach Zinedine Zidane told reporters, in between laughs, as quoted by the Independent.

The club later confirmed Asensio's absence in naming a 19-man squad that did not include the young star midfielder. In his stead, Borja Mayoral steps into the team, also providing another option up top as Karim Benzema was also ruled out due to a more typically encountered hamstring injury.

The good news is that Cristiano Ronaldo is back in the fray and ready to take part in his first competitive game in a month, while Raphael Varane is also back after recovering from an adductor problem. The two were both named to the Real Madrid squad that will host the visitors from Cyprus at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday.

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