Gareth Bale

Gareth Bale will undergo ankle surgery, be out for months

Published Dec. 9, 2016 1:06 p.m. ET

Ryan Rosenblatt

A day after confirming that Gareth Bale had injured his ankle, Real Madrid announced that the Welshman will undergo surgery to repair the ankle tendons he had hurt. Now, Bale is facing months on the sidelines.

Real Madrid did not release a timetable for Bale's return, however various reports have pegged his return at anywhere from two to four months. Players who undergo ankle operations for tendon problems usually miss a minimum of two months.

Bale was hurt in Real Madrid's Champions League win over Sporting Lisbon on Tuesday. With him certainly out for the remainder of the year, he will miss El Clasico against Barcelona on December 3. He will also be absent when Real Madrid play Borussia Dortmund four days later with first place in their Champions League group on the line, and the following week when the Merengues go to the Club World Cup.

Bale's injury comes at a time when Real Madrid are facing a rash of injuries all over the pitch. Toni Kroos has been ruled out until 2017, while Pepe and Alvaro Morata continue to battle injuries of their own. The good news is Casemiro has returned to training and should play soon, but that's all the good news Real Madrid have right now.

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