Gareth Bale still uncertain about availability for Real Madrid in Champions League final
Gareth Bale's status for Saturday's Champions League final (live, 2 p.m. ET on FOX) remains up in the air. The prolific winger has been in and out of Zinedine Zidane's lineup all season with various leg and ankle injuries. Bale missed the second leg of the quarterfinals against Bayern Munich and both legs of the semis against Atletico injured.
He was supposed to be recovered in time for Saturday's final against Juventus, but that seems increasingly uncertain. The 27-year-old told Real Madrid TV he was "fully recovered" on Tuesday but then planted a large seed of doubt speaking with a different set of reporters.
"I'm not 100 percent, but I'm working to be available at some capacity in the final," Bale said, via AP. "I'm working hard to get my feelings back and to get my ankle prepared."
Bale hasn't played a full 90 minutes for Real Madrid in the Champions League since a 3-3 group-stage draw against Legia Warsaw on Nov. 2. The last time he played the duration of the match in La Liga was on April 2. With that lengthy layoff in mind, Bale conceded, "I would understand if I was on the bench."
If Zidane doesn't start the Welshman, he'll likely turn to Isco to fill the void. Hopefully, there's a clearer picture of Bale's health before Zidane has to make a decision for the final.
