Real Madrid Lose Star Player For El Clasico

Real Madrid have been rocked by injury just over a week before second El Clasico of the season.

News has broken in Spain today that Gareth Bale is set for another spell on the sidelines after breaking down with another calf injury.

The Welshman has consistently struggled during his time at the Bernabeu with calf problems, having already been ruled out five times with the problem in three years.

Gareth Bale

Injuries have been a constant problem for Bale since arriving in the Spanish capital. Image: PA

Commenting on Bale's injury, which comes only a few days before Real's return leg with Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals, 'Los Blancos' boss Zinedine Zidane said, "Bale will not be with us tomorrow, that's clear. Then we will see for Tuesday. For sure he has something, a bit of a bruise in his calf. It's a muscle injury, where he has had problems before.

Zinedine Zidane

Zidane will likely have to plan for Bayern and Barca without Bale. Image: PA

"And we will take no risks with Gareth. We will go game by game and make decisions that way. We hope to have him back soon. Of course I am worried as I don't like to have players injured, even more towards the end of the season."

Bale

Bale has won two Champions Leagues and a Copa Del Rey since arriving at the Bernabeu. Image: PA

Real are currently three points ahead of Barcelona in La Liga, having played a game less. A victory next Saturday at the Bernabeu would all but seal the club from the Spanish capital their first league title in four years and first domestic title under Zidane's charge.

In Europe, 'Los Blancos' are going similarly strong, taking a 2-1 first leg lead back to Madrid on Tuesday night, where they will be favourites to advance past Carlo Ancelotti's Bayern Munich and cement their place in yet another Champions League semi-final.

Doing so without Bale is obviously a big blow, but with the likes of Ronaldo, Benzema and Morata all to call upon, it's not as if Zidane is short of options without the £86m Welshman available.

(H/T 101 Great Goals)

Topics: Football, gareth bale, Real Madrid

Joe Baiamonte

Northerner. Assistant Editor of SPORTbible. Studied Journalism and Broadcasting in a portakabin on a car park of Salford University for three years. Believes football peaked with Serie A in the '90s and strong-arms pro wrestling references into as many articles as possible. Neymar once took 50 euros off me during a game of poker.

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