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DRAGON PLAY

Wales players laugh and joke in utterly relaxed walk around the Lyon pitch ahead of Euro 2016 semi-final with Portugal

Star man Gareth Bale appeared to lead the happy squad as they joked around in the Stade des Lumieres

WALES players hardly looked as if they were 24 hours away from the biggest football match in their nation's history.

Gareth Bale and Co were seen horsing around on the Lyon pitch ahead of their date with destiny in the Euro 2016 semi-final with Portugal.

 Gareth Bale has Joe Ledley in a full nelson as Wayne Hennessey plays with his beard
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Gareth Bale has Joe Ledley in a full nelson as Wayne Hennessey plays with his beardCredit: Richard Pelham The Sun
 The goalkeeper and midfielder rub facial hair
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The goalkeeper and midfielder rub facial hairCredit: Richard Pelham The Sun
 The Real Madrid star even had time to practice his golf swing
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The Real Madrid star even had time to practice his golf swingCredit: EPA
 Ashley Williams puts on headphones as the players operate the pitch side camera
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Ashley Williams puts on headphones as the players operate the pitch side cameraCredit: Reuters
 The players pose in front of the camera as Neil Taylor operates it
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The players pose in front of the camera as Neil Taylor operates itCredit: Richard Pelham The Sun

Chris Coleman's squad looked mightily relaxed in what will surely be the biggest game many of them will play in their entire careers.

Real Madrid star Gareth Bale, one of the players of the tournament so far, was chief instigator in the antics.

The 26-year-old was seen playing with goal hero Hal Robson-Kanu's trousers, ruffling the hair of goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey and holding Joe Ledley in a full nelson as other team-mates played with his lengthy beard.

Bale even had time to practice his golf swing while 6ft 6in Hennessey looked worried about how he would fit into the dugout.

The squad also operated the pitch side camera, with captain Ashley Williams donning headphones, and Neil Taylor looking through the lens.

The squad then went through a couple of light stretching routines.

Bale had trained alone on Monday with Coleman's staff wary of over-exerting the star following a tough season.

 Hennessey was too big for the dugout
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Hennessey was too big for the dugoutCredit: Getty Images
 Bale and Ledley share a laugh
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Bale and Ledley share a laughCredit: Richard Pelham The Sun
 The Welsh players looked relaxed ahead of the massive game in Lyon
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The Welsh players looked relaxed ahead of the massive game in LyonCredit: Richard Pelham The Sun
 The squad did some light stretching ahead of the semi-final
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The squad did some light stretching ahead of the semi-finalCredit: Richard Pelham The Sun
 Captain Williams shows off his muscles
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Captain Williams shows off his musclesCredit: Richard Pelham The Sun
 Even manager Chris Coleman was laughing ahead of the big game
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Even manager Chris Coleman was laughing ahead of the big gameCredit: PA:Press Association

With Aaron Ramsey missing through suspension, Bale will be under even more pressure to deliver.

Ben Davies is also suspended for the game, with Chris Coleman expected to bring in Leicester City midfielder Andy King and West Ham defender James Collins into his starting XI.

The game will pit Bale against Los Blancos team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo, of course.

The pair have met six times in the past but this is the first time since 2011 the two most expensive players ever will butt heads.

Wales were handed a potential boost this afternoon when Portugal defender Pepe was forced to train alone because of muscle fatigue.

The Real Madrid defender, 33, has been excellent in this competition - like Bale, Pepe was a member of Real's Champions League winning squad and has a history of injury problems.

He has suffered four separate injuries this season, missing 10 games for the Spanish giants.

Sadly UEFA has decided to ban the players from bringing family members onto the pitch to celebrate on Wednesday night.

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