Gareth Bale: Real Madrid star set for four months on the sidelines after ankle surgery
Winger will have surgery in London next week in massive blow for Los Blancos as well as Wales' World Cup qualification hopes
WALES and Real Madrid have been dealt a massive blow with Gareth Bale set for four months out.
Scans have revealed the wing wizard will undergo an ankle op in London next week after breaking down with his 15TH injury since his £86million move to the Santiago Bernabeu.
It now means Bale faces a race against time to be fit for the Dragons' crunch clash with Republic of Ireland on March 24 - exactly four months today.
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If he misses out it will mean that Bale, who signed a monster £360,000-a-week six-year deal last month, is sidelined for at least 21 games.
Chris Coleman's side are already four points behind their rivals in their World Cup qualification group and a defeat in Dublin would almost certainly spell the end for their hopes of making Russia 2018.
And it will frustrate the FAW that Bale played on for almost five minutes after going down shortly after half-time in Real's Champions League win over Sporting.
21 GAMES BALE COULD MISS
Nov 26 - Sporting Gijon (H), Liga
Nov 30 - Cultural Leonesa (H), CDR
Dec 3 - Barcelona (A), Liga
Dec 7 - Dortmund (H), CL
Dec 10 - Deportivo (H), Liga
Jan 7 - Granada (H), Liga
Jan 15 - Sevilla (A), Liga
Jan 22 - Malaga (H), Liga
Jan 29 - Sociedad (H), Liga
Feb 5 - Celta Vigo (A), Liga
Feb 12 - Osasuna (A), Liga
Feb 15 - Valencia (A), Liga
Feb 19 - Espanyol (H), Liga
Feb 26 - Villarreal (A), Liga
Mar 1 - Las Palmas (H), Liga
Mar 5 - Eibar (H), Liga
Mar 12 - Betis (H), Liga
Mar 19 - Athletic Bilbao (H), Liga
Mar 24 - Rep. of Ireland, (A), WCQ
* Real will also play CL last-16 games on either Feb 14/15 & Mar 7&8 or Feb 21/22 and Mar 14/15.
Real will be now be without Bale when they go in search of the win they need against Dortmund to finish top of Group F next month.
The 27-year-old is also out of Real's 'Clasico' game with Barcelona on December 3.
It is the first time Bale has required surgery since Charlie Adam's tackle crocked his left ankle while at Spurs in May 2011.
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A Real statement read: “The medical services of Real Madrid have decided that our player Gareth Bale with have an operation as a consequence of the injury to the peroneal tendons of his right ankle.
"This operation will take place at the King Edward VII Hospital in London on Tuesday November 29 by Dr James Calder, under the supervision of club doctors Jesus Olmo and Michael Aramberri."