Champions League: Gareth Bale doubtful for Liverpool clash after missing Real trip to Levante

                                                                                  

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti says he will evaluate the fitness of Gareth Bale ahead of his side's Champions League trip to Liverpool on Wednesday.

The Welshman was an unused substitute in Madrid's 5-0 win at Levante on Saturday after returning to the Spanish capital with a gluteal muscle injury picked up in playing for Wales last week.                
And with the first El Clasico of the season next weekend, when Barcelona visit the Bernabeu, Ancelotti insists he will be taking no risks with Bale's fitness for the game at Anfield.                
"He had a problem in his glute,” Ancelotti said.

 UEFA Champions League

Liverpool vs R Madrid

October 22, 2014, 6:00pm

“He wasn't comfortable so we preferred to not risk it for this game and we will evaluate it in the next few days. He wasn't left out due to rotation."                
Ancelotti was also without French duo Karim Benzema and Raphael Varane in Valencia due to a fever, while Sergio Ramos continues to be sidelined by a calf injury.                
Luka Modric appeared to have added to Real's growing injury list when he hobbled off 10 minutes from time, but Ancelotti is confident the Croatian midfielder will be fit.              
"It was just a knock, he won't have problems for the next game. We now have a few days to evaluate the situation with Bale, Benzema, Varane, Sergio Ramos and all those that were out for this game," added Ancelotti.                
"I think we are arriving well into this week. We had a difficult game to prepare here, but we played very well and seriously. We were very concentrated and it all went well.                
"Now we have time to, firstly, recover some players, and then think about the game on Wednesday."