Wales captain Gareth Bale trains ahead of World Cup play-off semi-final with Austria | Football News
Gareth Bale has trained with Wales ahead of Thursday’s World Cup play-off with Austria in a major boost to Rob Page’s side.
Bale missed Real Madrid’s crushing 4-0 defeat to Barcelona on the weekend due to back pain, raising doubts over whether the forward will be fit for the do-or-die clash at the Millennium Stadium.
But after the 32-year-old joined up with the national team ahead of their play-off semi-final against Austria, Bale was seen training with Page’s squad on Tuesday and the Dragons expect the 100-times capped forward to make Thursday’s clash at the Cardiff City Stadium.
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Former Austrian international Marko Stankovic says Gareth Bale is still the key man for Wales, despite the Welshman’s limited game time with club Real Madrid.
Speaking after their loss to Barcelona, Real boss Carlo Ancelotti said of Bale: “He didn’t feel well yesterday after training. He tried this morning but he wasn’t up to playing.
“He’s now going to join up with his national team and they’ll decide whether he plays or not.”
Bale has endured a miserable season in what is set to be the last of his nine-year stay in Madrid.
The 32-year-old has played just 77 minutes of club football since featuring against Real Betis on August 28.
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Wales caretaker boss Rob Page says his ‘wish list’ was answered by their World Cup play-off draw, and his side won’t be playing their two possible home games anywhere except the Cardiff City Stadium.
Bale suffered a hamstring injury in September and then sustained a calf complaint after winning his 100th Wales cap against Belarus in November.
His only club appearances since came last month, a LaLiga start against Villarreal and a brief Champions League cameo as a substitute away to Paris St Germain.
Aaron Ramsey has also joined up with Page’s squad after making his first Scottish Premiership start for Rangers since his January loan move from Juventus.
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Ramsey’s lack of match fitness had seen him restricted to a couple of starts in the Scottish Cup and three other appearances from the bench.
But he played 84 minutes against Dundee on Sunday and scored his first Rangers goal in a 2-1 victory.
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Aaron Ramsey scored his first Rangers goal in their victory over Dundee on Sunday
Austria boss Franco Foda has had to make four changes to his squad, with defenders Christopher Trimmel and Philipp Lienhart and midfielders Florian Grillitsch and Dejan Ljubicic dropping out.
Bristol City’s Andreas Weimann returns to the Austria squad for the first time for seven years, with Lens’ former Southampton defender Kevin Danso, Stefan Ilsanker and Alessandro Schopf also called up.
Wales squad
W Hennessey (Burnley), A Davies (Stoke), T King (Salford), C Gunter (Charlton), B Davies (Tottenham), C Roberts (Burnley), C Mepham (Bournemouth), J Rodon (Tottenham), B Cabango (Swansea), N Williams (Fulham, on loan from Liverpool), R Norrington-Davies (Sheff Utd), E Ampadu (Venezia, on loan from Chelsea), J Allen (Stoke), J Morrell (Portsmouth), W Vaulks (Cardiff), D Levitt (Dundee Utd, on loan from Man Utd), A Ramsey (Rangers, on loan from Juventus), J Williams (Swindon), H Wilson (Fulham), S Thomas (Huddersfield), R Colwill (Cardiff), B Johnson (Nottingham Forest), D James (Leeds), G Bale (Real Madrid), M Harris (Cardiff), R Matondo (Cercle Brugge, on loan from Schalke 04)
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