Real Madrid’s worst nightmare came true on Thursday when it was announced that Gareth Bale will have ankle surgery next Tuesday and is expected to be out for four months. The Wales international has been one of Real’s main man this season, scoring 5 goals and 3 assists.
It is no doubt that Real will be missing his services greatly on the right flank, especially now when they are preparing for all-important El Clasico in two weeks. The 27-year-old hobbled out of Tuesday’s 2-1 Champions League win at Sporting Lisbon with what has been diagnosed as a “traumatic dislocation of the peroneal tendons” in his right ankle.
However, Real have a pretty decent squad depth and although Zidane can never potentially replace Bale, he can surely get the job done with the available crop of players. Here are 3 players who can step up in Bale’s absence.
James Rodriguez
The Columbian international has appeared only 11 times for Real Madrid in all competitions this season. He has scored once and assisted 7 times in his brief spells. With Isco and Kovacic getting the nod before him repeatedly, his Madrid career is apparently nearing an end. He has grown frustrated at the club.
At 25, the midfielder still has a plenty of football left in him. His current situation has put lots of big European clubs on red alert. Rodriguez joined the Los Blancos in a £71million deal back in July 2014. The former Monaco and Porto playmaker has failed to establish himself in Zinedine Zidane’s favoured starting line-up.
However, now with Gareth Bale injured there are none in the Real lineup who is as brilliant as Rodriguez. His inclusion might lead Isco to shift on the right flank, giving space for the middle maestro in the middle.
Marco Asensio
The 20-year-old is often used by Zidane as a substitute and he usually takes the field with Alvaro Morata by his side. He has scored 6 goals in 13 appearances so far, scoring twice in 8 La Liga matches. Zidane uses him very often and the youngster is expected to take the right flank in the absence of Bale.
His average passing accuracy is 89% and shooting accuracy is 63%, which is more than Cristiano Ronaldo (34%).
Lucas Vasquez
He was bought from Espanyol last season. He has scored once and assisted 5 times in the 17 appearances. He has 11 La Liga games under him and the 25-year-old has good experience under his belt to take the responsibility. His dribbling and crossing abilities are brilliant and he can also be deadly from free-kicks at times.
