Chris Coleman: If Bale is fit for Real Madrid, he’s fit for Wales

11 November 2017 22:39

Gareth Bale’s availability for Wales will not be compromised by the latest injury of his Real Madrid career, according to his international manager Chris Coleman.

Bale has not played since September 26 because of a calf problem but he had been stepping up his recovery and a return to action was imminent before his latest setback.

The 28-year-old forward suffered a fibrillar rupture to the adductor muscle of his left leg on Thursday and could be sidelined for a further six weeks.

It is another blow to Bale’s injury-hit Real career with the Welshman having missed 91 of their 250 games since joining from Tottenham in 2013 for a then-world record fee of £85.3million.

Bale sat out Wales’ 2-0 friendly defeat to France in Paris on Friday and his availability could become an issue when the Dragons play at the China Cup in March.

It is understood Wales will receive a greater participation fee if their top players make the 12,000-mile round trip to the southern Chinese city of Nanning.

But the four-team tournament comes just before the quarter-finals of the Champions League, when Real will expect to be defending the trophy they have won for the last two seasons.

Coleman, however, was adamant over the issue of Bale’s availability for Wales. He said: “Hopefully Gareth gets back before Christmas or just after and we’ve got two or three months before the China Cup.

“We expect all our players if they are fit to play for their club – then they are fit to play for us. That’s how we look at it. We never take risks, we’ve never done that and I don’t see that changing in the future. But if he’s fit for Madrid, then obviously he’s fit for us.

“Gareth will be devastated by this but he just needs to be settled again, get his fitness and not rush himself back.”

Source: By PA Sport Staff