WALES HOPEFUL GARETH BALE WILL BE FIT FOR CRUCIAL WORLD CUP PLAYOFF AGAINST AUSTRIA.

Gareth Bale has linked up with the Wales squad ahead of his country’s crucial playoff semi-final against Austria, despite having little game time at club level. The 32-year-old has played just twice for Los Blancos since taking part in a 5-1 World Cup qualification victory over Belarus in November 2021.

Wales are hopeful that Gareth Bale will be fit for the crucial World Cup playoff against Austria after being ruled out of Real Madrid’s El Clasico defeat to Barcelona on Sunday.

Carlo Ancelotti revealed that Bale missed the 4-0 mauling at the hands of their fierce rivals because he ‘didn’t feel well’.

“He tried this morning but he wasn’t up to playing,” Ancelotti said on Sunday in quotes published by the BBC.

“He’s now going to join up with his national team and they’ll decide whether he plays or not.”

Bale has linked up with the Wales squad ahead of the playoff semi-final, despite having little game time at club level.

In total, Bale has managed only five appearances across all competitions for the current La Liga leaders, scoring once in a 3-3 draw with Levante in August last year.

The 32-year-old has also played just twice for Los Blancos since taking part in a 5-1 World Cup qualification victory over Belarus in November 2021.

His difficult campaign in Spain has come after being hampered by calf and knee injuries, alongside a separate spell on the sidelines due to testing positive for Covid.

Aside from Bale, Aaron Ramsey has also been included in Robert Page’s squad following his first goal for Rangers in their 2-1 comeback victory away at Dundee.

Should Wales get past Austria, they will face the winners of the match between Scotland and Ukraine, which has been postponed until June.

Wales are hoping to secure a place at only their second World Cup finals and end a wait of 64 years to appear at the tournament.