Real Madrid have confirmed on their official website that Portugal international Pepe will be unavailable for around three weeks due to injury.

“Real Madrid’s Kepler Laveran Lima Ferreira, ‘Pepe’ has been diagnosed with a grade II pulled left soleus muscle and is expected to be sidelined for three weeks,” a statement on the club’s official website reads.

Pepe suffered the injury during the Blancos’ 3-2 comeback victory over LA Galaxy in their final pre-season game in the US on Saturday evening. The Portuguese international came on for fellow centre-back Raul Albiol at the start of the second half and played for the remainder of the match.

However, he complained about hamstring problems after the match and underwent a scan at the weekend to clarify the extent of the injury.

The centre-back missed much of the 2009-10 season for Madrid with a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.