Zinedine Zidane bemoans injuries after Bale joins list of absentees

MADRID: Zinedine Zidane confirmed on Friday that Gareth Bale has not trained ahead of Real Madrid’s match against Espanyol as injury threatens to rule him out of this month’s Clasico.

Bale is struggling with a minor problem in his thigh although the club remain optimistic he will recover in time for the crunch game against Barcelona at Camp Nou on December 18. “He did it in the match against Alaves,” said Zidane at a press conference before Saturday’s La Liga match.

“We’ve had a few days off but he has felt some discomfort. He hasn’t trained with us either today or this week.” Bale has only recently shaken off a calf injury that kept him out for just over a month between October and November, and his latest setback adds to a worrying list of fitness concerns for Zidane.

Eden Hazard could be sidelined for more than a month after suffering a fracture in his ankle while Marcelo might also miss the game against Barcelona, after he sustained a calf strain in training.

Lucas Vazquez (toe), James Rodriguez (knee) and Marco Asensio (cruciate ligament) are also out. “Injuries are a nightmare. Eden isn’t happy but it is what it is,” said Zidane. “We hope his injury is a little less serious than expected.

“I don’t know what we are going to do, I hope he will be back soon, Marcelo and Gareth the same. It is a major blow but we can’t do anything about it. “There are other players and that is what we have to focus on. We have to maintain our momentum in the game tomorrow.”