Friday 14 April 2017 15:49, UK
Gareth Bale will miss Real Madrid's trip to Sporting Gijon on Saturday, and faces a race to be fit for their Champions League quarter-final second leg against Bayern Munich on Tuesday.
The forward had to be replaced for the final half hour of Madrid's 2-1 win in Munich on Wednesday after aggravating an ankle injury that saw him miss nearly three months earlier this season.
Bale has played just 25 times in all competitions this season due to various injuries and suspensions.
"He will not be with us tomorrow, that is clear, after that we will see," Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane said. "It is a muscular problem, it is where he had his operation.
"When he started to play again it has bothered him.
"It is true that I am concerned. I don't like to see my players injured and even more so in the final straight of the season."
Zidane is expected to make a series of changes from the side that started in Munich with the second leg in mind.
Two-goal hero in midweek Cristiano Ronaldo could be rested, while Pepe and Raphael Varane are also absent due to injury.
"I think it is the DNA of this club, the more difficult the matches, the more the players respond," added Zidane.
"We are all happy when the end of the season arrives with important matches."
Real will also host Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu next weekend and have a three-point lead over Barca at the top of the table with a game in hand.
