Soccer

Real Madrid leave out Gareth Bale for trip to Liverpool

Muscle injury may also rule world’s most expensive player out of Barcelona clash

Gareth Bale will miss Real Madrid’s trip to Anfield to play Liverpool in Wednesday’s Champions League encounter because of a muscle injury. Photograph: Stu Forster/Getty Images
Tue Oct 21 2014 - 11:10

Gareth Bale has been left out of Real Madrid's squad for Wednesday's Champions League clash against Liverpool as the Wales international battles a muscle injury.

Bale was unlikely to feature at Anfield after Madrid announced on Monday that the forward was suffering from a gluteal injury, and on Tuesday the world’s most expensive player was a confirmed absentee from Carlo Ancelotti’s 20-man squad for the trip to Anfield.

The 25-year-old was an unused substitute in Saturday’s Primera Division win over Levante on his return from international duty, having played the full 90 minutes in both of Wales’ Euro 2016 qualifiers against Bosnia-Herzegovina and Cyprus.

Reports in Spain suggest that Bale is also set to miss this weekend’s Clasico showdown against Barcelona at the Bernabeu, as well as the possibility of further matches.

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Madrid, the reigning European champions, will be defending their 100 per cent record in Champions League Group B at Liverpool, who have won one and lost one so far.

REAL MADRID (Squad for Champions League Group B game v Liverpool, Anfield, Wednesday, 7.45pm) – Goalkeepers: Iker Casillas, Keylor Navas, Fernando Pacheco. Defenders: Raphael Varane, Pepe, Marcelo, Danny Carvajal, Alvaro Arbeloa, Nacho. Midfielders: Sami Khedira, Toni Kroos, James Rodríguez , Luka Modric, Isco, Asier Illarramendi, Alvaro Medrán, Marcos Llorente. Forwards: Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Javier Hernandez.