Real Madrid's Gareth Bale out of Liverpool clash

Posted Tuesday, October 21, 2014 by skysports.com

Gareth Bale has been ruled out of Real Madrid’s Champions League clash with Liverpool on Wednesday, according to Sky sources.

And the world’s most expensive player is a major doubt for Saturday’s El Clasico showdown with Barcelona because of a gluteal injury

It had been reported that Bale picked up the injury during Wales' 2-1 win over Cyprus last week, but Sky Sports' Guillem Balague says the winger actually hurt himself in training on Friday.

Real boss Carlo Ancelotti left him on the bench for Saturday's La Liga match with Levante, which Real won 5-0.

The news is a big blow for Ancelotti ahead of the mouth-watering clash with Liverpool at Anfield.

A statement on the club's website read: "After tests carried out on Gareth Bale by the Real Madrid Sanitas medical services, he has been diagnosed with a muscular injury in the right pyramidalis muscle. His progress will be monitored."

Bale played the full 90 minutes in both of Wales' Euro 2016 qualifiers against Bosnia-Herzegovina and Cyprus.

Speaking after Saturday’s rout of Levante, Ancelotti said: “Bale had a problem in his glute.

"He wasn't comfortable so we preferred to not risk it for this game and we will evaluate it in the next few days. He wasn't left out due to rotation.

"We now have a few days to evaluate the situation with Bale, Karim Benzema, Raphael Varane, Sergio Ramos and all those that were out for this game.

"I think we are arriving well into this week. We had a difficult game to prepare here, but we played very well and seriously. We were very concentrated and it all went well.

"Now we have time to, firstly, recover some players, and then think about the game on Wednesday."

Madrid will be defending their 100 per cent record in Champions League Group B at Liverpool, who have won one and lost one so far.