Sporting Lisbon 1 Real Madrid 2: Gareth Bale limps off with ankle injury as Karim Benzema’s late winner sends Sporting out of Champions League
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GARETH BALE was forced off with an ankle injury as Real Madrid dumped Sporting Lisbon out of the Champions League tonight.
Karim Benzema headed a late winner for Zinedine Zidane's side to secure a 2-1 victory, but it came at some cost as Bale was forced off in the 58th minute.
The Welsh wizard is now an injury doubt just 11 days before Madrid face Barcelona in El Clasico.
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It seemed a fairly innocuous coming together with former Liverpool and Sunderland man Sebastian Coates 54 minutes in.
Bale tried to carry on, but signalled to the bench that there was a problem, and he was replaced by Asensio four minutes after first going down.
The issue appeared to concern his right ankle. Real Madrid face Sporting Gijon on Saturday followed by the hugely anticipated clash against Luis Enrique's Barcelona.
With one game still to play, Sporting are eight-points behind Zinedine Zidane's side who sit second in Group F of the Champions League.
Goals from Raphael Varane and substitute Karim Benzema cancelled out Adrien Silva's penalty to win it for the Spanish outfit.
Sporting made a fine start to the Champions League clash, with Bruno Cesar coming close in just the third minute, but he saw his shot blocked when heading towards goal.
Ronaldo, who had a relatively quiet return to his former club, then had the next chance of the game, but he saw a left-footed shot from outside the box flash wide.
But the Ballon d'Or favourite made a mark on the game in the 29th minute.
Luka Modric took a free-kick into the Portuguese striker, and he volleyed through to defender Raphael Varane, who fired past Rui Patricio.
The Sporting defenders looked like they were playing The Mannequin Challenge as they appealed for offside, but the goal stood.
The home side were nearly straight back into it, through that man again Cesar, but his fierce effort at goal was headed away by Sergio Ramos.
In the 39th minute Sporting were surrounding referee William Collum demanding a penalty after Madrid defender Marcelo tripped Gelson.
But the official got the decision spot on - it was outside the box, but Marcelo was booked for the foul.
The first half was an even-affair, with both teams trying to spray the ball around. However a single shot on target, the goal, showed it didn't live up to expectation.
Sporting should have done better with a great chance right at the start of the second period.
Marcelo pulled up injured, and Gelson sprang free, but his pull back from the byline found no-one, and the ball was pumped clear.
Madrid were dealt a big blow when Gareth Bale went off injured in the 58th minute after a challenge on him by former Liverpool and Sunderland defender Sebastian Coates.
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But the home side undid any advantage this may have given them when defender João Pereira appeared to punch Madrid's Mateo Kovacic right under the nose of the assistant referee.
He was, unsurprisingly, shown a straight red card.
Ten minutes from time Sporting were back in the game - given a helping hand by Madrid substitute Fábio Coentrão.
Having replaced Marcelo only nine minute earlier, the Portuguese full-back handballed in the area, clear as day with his arms raised as ex-Arsenal man Joel Campbell flicked the ball up.
Adrien Silva netted from the spot with ease to level things up.
But Madrid weren't done - and again it was a substitute who played a part in it.
Ramos swung a beautiful ball into the box, and Karim Benzema thundered a header past Rui Patricio to make it 2-1.
That was enough to seal victory, to leave Sporting fighting it out with Legia Warsaw to drop into the Europa Cup.
Legia were involved in an incredible game away at Borussia Dortmund tonight, losing 8-4.