Real Madrid star Gareth Bale, who has been out of action since the end of September, has been picked up another injury that is expected to keep him out until the new year.
“Gareth Bale felt some discomfort in his left leg at the end of Thursday’s training session and today underwent various tests carried out by the Real Madrid Sanitas medical team,” Real Madrid posted on its official website.
”He has been diagnosed with a strain to the middle third of the adductor longus muscle in his left leg. His recovery will continue to be assessed.”
Bale has struggled with injuries during his time at Real Madrid, with his calf proving most problematic. Last season he played just 489 league minutes after mid-November thanks to a long-term ankle injury that kept him out through the winter before his calf ended his season in early April.
The year before that, Bale missed five league matches in the early part of the season plus another seven matches around February with calf problems.
‘Gareth has been injured for a long time,’ Madrid ace Isco said before Spain’s international friendly against Costa Rica on Saturday.
‘He’s having a hard time.’
Real Madrid squad have missed Bale this season, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema each scoring just a single goal this La Liga season. Madrid sits a distant third in the league table, a full eight points back of Barcelona through just 11 matches.
Bale’s inability to stay fit has reportedly drew the wrath of Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez, and the latest injury could be the one that causes Madrid to finally sell the Welsh superstar next summer.