Madrid suffer massive blow as Bale faces up to four months out

Gareth has suffered a huge blow after scans revealed he will need surgery on his ankle and will be sidelined for four months.

The Real Madrid forward had hoped to avoid an operation after suffering a ‘traumatic dislocation of the peroneal tendons’ in his right ankle in the Champions League win over Sporting Lisbon on Tuesday.

But further examination on Thursday determined the problem will require the Welshman to go under the knife, with Bale set to have surgery in London on Tuesday.

Club sources say Bale is expected to be out for around four months, which not only rules him out of El Clasico next month but also makes him a major doubt for Wales’s crucial World Cup qualifier against Republic of Ireland on March 24.