Real Madrid news: Gareth Bale is ruled out of showdown against Barcelona with ankle injury
GARETH BALE is out of El Clasico.
The Real Madrid star hurt has damaged tendons in his right ankle and will be unable to face Barcelona on December 3.
Bale and team-mate Marcelo both limped off during the 2-1 Champions League 2-1 victory at Sporting Lisbon.
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Former Tottenham hero Bale was forced off in the 55th minute following a tackle from Sebastian Coates. The Welshman tried to continue but minutes later boss Zinedine Zidane had to replace him with Marco Asensio.
On Wednesday afternoon the exact damage sustained by Bale to his ankle was revealed.
A club statement read: "After tests our player Gareth Bale today at University Hospital Sanitas La Moraleja has been diagnosed with a traumatic dislocation of the peroneal tendons in his right ankle."
Earlier today a Madrid spokesman predicted gloomy news when he said: "I don’t know at the moment [the extent of the injury], it is his ankle and we’ll see. At the moment it doesn’t look good, but I can’t say any more."
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But later it emerged that Bale won't make the big La Liga showdown with Real's greatest rivals.
Zidane had said after the game: "Bale has something wrong with his ankle, but we don't exactly know what it is. I don't think it's a knock. It's more of a twisted ankle."
Real have two games against Sporting Gijon and Cultural Leonesa before the clash with Barcelona but when asked whether Bale will be ready for the big showdown, Zidane said:
"It's premature to talk about that because we don't yet know what's wrong with him.
"Let's see. He'll have a medical examination and we'll know more. I can't say more. It's not a knock but I don't know the exact issue."
Marcelo also has an ankle problem.
Like Leicester City, Real Madrid have already booked a place in the Champions League last 16.
They will finish top of Group F if they beat Borussia Dortmund in their final match on December 7.