Raphael Varane is hopeful that his Real Madrid teammate Karim Benzema will be fit to face Barcelona at the Bernabeu next weekend.

The French forward suffered a thigh injury in Saturday's 3-1 win over Malaga and is now facing a fight to be available for El Clasico next Sunday.

"He suffered a blow to the thigh. Hopefully Benzema will be fit to face Barcelona. We struggled, but you have to know how to struggle if you want to win the title. The team's attitude was great even if this wasn't our best game," Varane told reporters.

"I don't think we tired more than any other game, although we did run a lot. Personally, I have to take care of my knee but it's great that I can play consistently."

Los Blancos are currently three points clear of Atletico Madrid at the top of La Liga.