Zidane rules Bale out for Real and Wales

Share this with Email Share this with Facebook Share this with Twitter Share this with Whatsapp

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane has ruled Gareth Bale out of Sunday's La Liga home game against Las Palmas and Wales' international friendlies next week.

Advertisement

Bale has not played since suffering an injury during Madrid's 3-1 Champions League win at Borussia Dortmund in September, with tests carried out when he joined Wales the following week showing a calf injury.

The winger had been named in the Wales squad for games against France and Panama, although international manager Chris Coleman said Madrid would have the final call on his availability.

Zidane told a news conference that neither Bale nor Dani Carvajal were yet ready to return against Las Palmas and would be working on their fitness over the next fortnight.

"After the time Gareth and Dani have been out, we must be relaxed and give them time with us here," he said.

"Gareth will not be in the squad tomorrow, and will not go with his country. After 35 days out, he has done just two sessions with us, so he will stay here and work so he can be back with us as soon as possible."

Zidane said he was pleased that Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo had not been called up for his country's friendlies against Saudi Arabia and the United States.

"It is good news that Cristiano is not going with his country," he added. "He has been playing a long time. It is better for him to remain here and have time to work with us."

Stu Forster/Getty Images

Sunday's game also comes too soon for Raphael Varane and Keylor Navas, while Luca Zidane and Mateo Kovacic are still sidelined.

Following two straight defeats against Girona in La Liga and Tottenham in the Champions League, Zidane may rotate his side with youngsters Theo Hernandez, Marco Asensio, Dani Ceballos and Jesus Vallejo among those who could feature.

Advertisement

Ronaldo suggested following Wednesday's 3-1 defeat at Spurs that the squad was weaker this season as young players lacked the experience of departed internationals Alvaro Morata, James Rodriguez and Pepe.

"You must accept what has happened," Zidane said. "I am only interested in the team we have today.

"We can be motivated, all of us, to bring more and to change things around. And me first, not just the players. I must put in more energy -- we all must.

"I was not the best coach in the world before. Neither am I the worst now. I do not get carried away, go too high or low. It was the same as a player.

"We must remain positive. We are not happy to have lost two games, but it does not change what we want to achieve this year."

Zidane recalled that Madrid had lost back-to-back games against Celta Vigo and Sevilla in January but ended the season winning both La Liga and the Champions League.

"This is football -- sometimes you have bad runs, as happened last year too," he said. "It is not new this year.

"In the end, we achieved important things. The only thing for us is to think about tomorrow's game, and do everything we can to win it."

Source: espn.co.uk