Madrid, April 22 (IANS): Real Madrid star striker Cristiano Ronaldo has a strained muscle in his right thigh and will miss Saturday's La Liga match against Rayo Vallecano.

The Portugal captain, who is battling for the Golden Boot award, did not train with his teammates on Friday, when he underwent a MRI to assess the extent of his injury sustained in the last minutes of La Liga game against Villarreal last Wednesday, reports Efe.

It will be the first La Liga game the former Manchester United star will miss this football season.

The MRI revealed that Cristiano has no muscle tear and it is a mild strain that will prevent him from playing in Vallecas, but he will still play next Tuesday in the first leg of the European Champions League semi-finals against Manchester City.

"Following tests carried out today on Cristiano Ronaldo in the Sanitas La Moraleja University Hospital, he has been diagnosed with a muscle strain in his right thigh. His recovery will continue to be assessed," Real said in a statement.