WALES have suffered a World Cup play-off preparation blow after Gareth Bale’s Real Madrid reached the Champions League final against Liverpool on May 28.
Captain Bale will miss Robert Page’s training camp the week before the final against either Scotland or Ukraine on June 5 in Cardiff for a spot in Qatar.
Instead, Bale, who is chasing his FIFTH Champions League title, is expected to be with Carlo Ancelotti’s Spanish giants for the European showpiece versus Liverpool in Paris.
The Football Association of Wales will confirm next week whether their training camp will be held in Cardiff or Portugal’s Algarve, which has been a favourite warm weather destination for the Welsh since 2016.
But Real’s 14th European Cup final appearance at the Stade de France – sealed after the incredible 6-5 aggregate semi-final comeback win over Manchester City at the Bernabeu – will mean Bale now has club commitments rather than preparing with his international pals for the play-off final.
Bale is desperate to lead Wales to a World Cup finals for the first time since 1958 after playing in two Euros for his country.
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The LaLiga title winners involvement in the Champions League final will also put into doubt if Bale will even travel for Wales’ Nations League clash against Poland on June 1.
The Wroclaw clash is the final warm-up before the World Cup play-off but SunSport understands that Bale and a number of other senior players could be left behind in Wales for training drills as the Dragons bid to make history and secure a spot at a global finals for the first time in 64 years.
The 32-year-old forward missed Wednesday’s epic extra-time triumph over City and according to the newly-crowned La Liga champions he trained indoors at the club’s training ground the day before after suffering a ‘bad back’.
However, he shared Real’s victory Instagram post of Karim Benzema’s celebration, adding fire and strength emojis.
Bale has been a bit-part player for Ancelotti this season but made two substitute appearances for Real in the knockout stages against Paris Saint Germain and Chelsea.
The four-time Champions League winner in 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2018, who will leave the Bernabeu when his contract expires this summer, has fond memories of his last final – against Liverpool.
Bale scored twice – including a remarkable overhead kick – after coming off the bench as Real beat Jurgen Klopp’s side 3-1 in Kiev.