Just as Real Madrid worked themselves back into the Spanish Primera Division title race, with a little help from the current crisis at Barca, Los Blancos were handed a severe blow in the form of an injury to a key player.
On Wednesday, the 10-time Champions League winners will host fourth-placed Villarreal 45 minutes after the Blaugrana kick-off their match away to Deportivo, but Zinedine Zidane will be without Welsh superstar Gareth Bale.
Whilst the Merengues first-team were put through training in preparation for the Santiago Bernabeu game, the world’s most expensive player missed out, working only in the gym.
This first sparked worries over the former Tottenham star’s fitness, before Zizou revealed in a pre-match press conference that the 26-year-old will not take part in the midweek tie.
Suffering of a muscle strain, the Real Madrid boss remained hopeful of a quick return to the squad for Bale, saying (as per Euro Sport):
"He will miss tomorrow's game but hopefully he will be back for the next game."
Zidane was asked for specific details on Bale’s injury and a possible cause, with the French legend replying: "I'm not part of the medical team."
Bale has struggled with injuries throughout this season, but this recent complication is seen as a minor problem, with the player being kept out of Wednesday’s squad as a precaution.
The Welshman will join fellow first-team player Dani Carvajal on the sidelines, as the Spanish full-back is out with a quadriceps muscle injury.
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