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Real Madrid's Dutch duo Arjen Robben and Wesley Sneijder will miss the Liga match at Sporting Gijon.

The pair returned injured from midweek duty with the Netherlands, Robben suffering with a hip problem while Sneijder has a thigh muscle strain, the champions said on their website.

Christoph Metzelder and Michel Salgado are out with long-term injuries.

All of Real's other internationals, including France's Lassana Diarra and Portugal's Pepe, returned in good shape from international duty and midfielders Guti and Daniel Parejo are both back to full fitness.

Real midfielder Royston Drenthe has appealed to the club's fans to get behind him after he was whistled by the home support at the Bernabeu last month.

"I don't like to feel like I am at the Nou Camp or another rival's stadium when I am playing at home," the 21-year-old Dutchman told Marca.

"When the fans are unhappy you notice it and it makes it harder to perform well."

A scan has shown that Sevilla forward Lautaro Acosta's ankle problem will sideline him for seven to 10 days.

The injury means the Argentine will miss the third-placed club's trip to struggling Espanyol.

Villarreal striker Giuseppe Rossi can equal Diego Forlan's club record for scoring in consecutive matches if he is on target for the fifth contest in a row at Racing Santander.

"I am excited about scoring at Racing but it won't be easy as they will make it very difficult for us," the Italian said.

Uruguayan striker Forlan, now at Atletico Madrid, is recovering from the ankle injury he suffered last weekend and new coach Abel Resino should be able to count on him for Sunday's match at home to city rivals Getafe.

Forlan scored twice in the 3-0 win at Recreativo Huelva last Sunday, Resino's first match in charge since replacing sacked Mexican Javier Aguirre.

Reuters