MADRID: Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has said he will evaluate the fitness of Gareth Bale ahead of his side’s Champions League trip to Liverpool on Wednesday.
The Welshman was an unused substitute in Madrid’s 5-0 win at Levante yesterday after returning to the Spanish capital with a gluteal muscle injury picked up in playing for his country last week.
And with the first El Clasico of the season at home to Barcelona to come next weekend, Ancelotti insisted he would be taking no risks with Bale’s fitness for the game at Anfield.
“He had a problem in his glute. He wasn’t comfortable so we prefered to not risk it for this game and we will evaluate it in the next few days,” said the Italian.
“He wasn’t left out due to rotation.”
Ancelotti was also without French duo Karim Benzema and Raphael Varane in Valencia due to a fever, whilst Sergio Ramos continues to be sidelined by a calf injury.
Luka Modric appeared to have added to Real’s growing injury list when he hobbled off 10 minutes from time, but Ancelotti is confident the Croatian will be fit for a return to England after a four-year spell at Tottenham Hotspur.
“It was just a knock, he won’t have problems for the next game. We now have a few days to evaluate the situation with Bale, Benzema, Varane, Sergio Ramos and all those that were out for this game,” added Ancelotti. AFP
