Sebastian Coates Gareth Bale Sporting Real Madrid Champions LeagueGetty Images

Bale forced off with ankle injury against Sporting

Gareth Bale was substituted with an apparent ankle injury during the second half of Real Madrid's Champions League clash against Sporting on Wednesday.

The Wales international hobbled out of the action just before the hour mark to be replaced by Marco Asensio.

Real will be hoping that the injury is not too serious, as they count down the days to the first La Liga El Clasico clash of the season.

Los Blancos are due to visit Barcelona on December 3, giving Bale just 11 days to prepare himself for the encounter.

Zinedine Zidane’s side have two more fixtures to take in before then, against Sporting Gijon and Cultural Leonesa, but it is the Camp Nou trip that they will have their eye on.

Real currently sit top of the Spanish top-flight standings, four points clear of reigning champions Barca, while their involvement in European competition is already guaranteed to stretch into 2017.

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