Source: Eurosport
Bale ruled out
Tottenham defender Gareth Bale is out of Wales' World Cup qualifier against Azerbaijan in Baku on Saturday. [LNB] The 19-year-old, who won his 20th cap for Wales in Friday's 1-0 win over Estonia in Llanelli, has a cartilage injury and will not be on the team's flight from Heathrow on Tuesday afternoon. [LNB] It is not clear how Bale was injured because the Football Association of Wales insist he did not pick up the problem during Friday's friendly international. [LNB] Bale was at home in Cardiff with his family on Sunday, and he was not able to travel to the team hotel in Slough on Monday. [LNB] The loss of Bale is a bitter blow to boss John Toshack, whose squad is already down to the bare bones through injuries to several key players. [LNB] Craig Bellamy, James Collins, Simon Davies and Jason Koumas have all previously been ruled out of the squad. [LNB] Toshack has also lost Manchester City striker Ched Evans and Hull defender Sam Ricketts. Evans suffered a back injury against Estonia and had a scan in Manchester on Monday, and did not re-join the squad. The back problem that kept Ricketts out of Friday's match has not improved enough for him to travel. [LNB] And there is also a doubt over West Ham midfielder Jack Collison, who limped off late in the second half of the Estonia game. Collison is only just back from a knee injury suffered at Wigan on March 4, playing West Ham's final three games of the campaign. [LNB] Toshack has called up Swansea winger Shaun MacDonald, a 20-year-old who has won 18 under-21 caps.
