Madrid: Real Madrid winger Gareth Bale looks set to miss the European champions’ decisive Champions League quarter-final second leg against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday after scans confirmed a muscle injury in his left calf.
Bale limped off after less than five minutes of Madrid’s 3-1 win over Malaga on Saturday.
“After the tests carried out on Gareth Bale by the Real Madrid medical team, a muscle injury in his left calf has been diagnosed,” the club said in a statement on Monday.
The club refused to add how long Bale will be sidelined for, but it seems highly unlikely he will be fit for the eighth Madrid derby of the season that will decide who progresses to the semi-finals, with the score locked at 0-0 after the first leg at the Vicente Calderon last week.
Madrid have been unable to beat Atletico in any of those seven previous meetings and face mounting problems due to injuries and suspensions.
Luka Modric has already been ruled out with a knee ligament injury, left-back Marcelo is banned and Karim Benzema also faces a race against time after missing the Malaga game with a knee problem.
