Soccer

Gareth Bale trains with Wales recovery group

Welsh talisman sat out Real Madrid’s encounter but looks set to return this week

Real Madrid’s Gareth Bale looks likely to be fit to face Ireland on Monday. Photograph: PA

Mon Oct 2 2017 - 14:42

Gareth Bale Bale joined up with the Wales squad on Monday and trained with a recovery group ahead of this week's final set of World Cup qualifiers.

Bale sat out Real Madrid's La Liga 3-1 win over Espanyol on Sunday, five days ahead of Wales' trip to Georgia.

Real manager Zinedine Zidane said at his pre-match press conference that Bale had suffered a calf muscle strain against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League last Tuesday.

Chris Coleman’s side are currently in second place in Group D, four points behind leaders Serbia and one point above Ireland. Martin O’Neill’s team travel to Cardiff for the final qualifier on October.

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Zidane has since played down the extent of the 28 year-old’s injury.

“He will travel with his international team,” Zidane explained to reporters in Spain.

“He could have played with us but I preferred to leave him out as he had a small complaint.

“He’s fine. After so many games at the start of the season and four months of injury, he was suffering after the game in Dortmund.

“He strained his hamstring but in the end it’s nothing. It’s not an injury. I’ve spoken to him and the doctors.”

Wales boss Coleman added: “In the last camp Gareth came to us and he’s probably fitter now than he was then. He ran his socks off and was at the heart of everything.

“A month down the line both he and Aaron Ramsey are playing even better for their clubs. It will be Rambo’s 50th cap against Georgia. It’s really well deserved for a player who, if we are to achieve something special, have to have with us.”

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