<
>

Raphael Varane returns to Real Madrid training after head injury

Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane is relieved to be back in training after receiving a blow to the head in his side's 2-1 win at Eibar last weekend.

The France international resumed training on Wednesday and believes he will be ready for Sunday's home game against Girona.

Madrid are 15 points behind La Liga leaders Barcelona with 10 games remaining and have reached the Champions League quarterfinals, a competition the club has won the last two seasons.

"We are looking forward to competing in order to win more titles," Varane told Marca. "We have to be physically and mentally fresh because we are arriving at the crucial stage of the campaign."

Real Madrid were knocked out of the Copa del Rey by Leganes back in January.

In the Champions League, however, Zinedine Zidane's side beat Paris Saint-Germain 5-2 on aggregate in the round of 16.

Real will find out on Friday who their quarterfinal opponents will be, with the first leg to be played on April 3 or 4 and the return a week later.

Gareth Bale trained separately from the team in Thursday's training session while Luka Modric, Jesus Vallejo and Sergio Ramos remained in the gym.