Real still waiting on Bale calf problem

Real Madrid are still waiting to learn how long Gareth Bale will be out for after he sustained a calf injury.

Bale was taken off 31 minutes into Real’s 4-0 Champions League win over Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday.

Coach Rafael Benitez said after the win, sealed by a Karim Benzema goal and a hat-trick from Cristiano Ronaldo, that Bale had a “spasm” in his left calf. 

A brief statement from Real on Thursday read: “Following the tests carried out on Gareth Bale in the Sanitas La Moraleja University Hospital, the player has been diagnosed with a soleus muscle injury in his left leg. His condition will be evaluated.”

Reports in the Spanish media have suggested Bale could be on the sidelines for a month, which would see him miss games with Granada, Athletic Bilbao, Malaga, Malmo and Atletico Madrid.

Bale’s participation in Wales’ Euro 2016 qualifiers with Bosnia-Herzegovina and Andorra next month would also be in doubt if that timeline is correct.