Real Madrid star Gareth Bale is set to miss out on Sunday's La Liga trip to Granada as he continues his rehabilitation work on a calf injury.
Bale scored his 11th goal in eight games with an early header in Jan. 17's 5-1 La Liga win over Sporting Gijon at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, only to leave the pitch just before half-time with what was diagnosed as his fifth calf muscle injury in his two-and-a-half years at Madrid.
Local media reports suggested he would require three weeks on the sidelines but he has yet to resume full training and it appears the Wales international will not be back in time for Sunday's trip to 19th-placed Granada.
The news was announced in a club statement released after Friday's training session, which also confirmed that centre-back Pepe remains sidelined with a foot problem.
"Real Madrid held the third training session of the week as they continue to prepare for the league game against Granada, which will take place this Sunday at the Nuevo Los Carmenes stadium (8:30 p.m. CET)," the statement read. "Zinedine Zidane called up the Real Madrid Castilla player Mariano in a session where the focus was placed on ball work. Bale and Pepe continue with their rehabilitation process.
"The session started with physical work out on the field. This was followed up by the Whites players carrying out possession and pressing exercises before various one against ones finishing on goal. Later on in the session they concentrated on tactical work and ended with some crossing and finishing."
Look who was my gym buddy today. Not bad for a 31 yo?ﾟﾘﾜ Happy birthday, man! pic.twitter.com/tmpC8bsJSx
- Sergio Ramos (@SergioRamos) February 5, 2016
Cristiano Ronaldo, who turned 31 on Friday, played a full part in the session and club captain Sergio Ramos posted a picture of the pair at work in the gym.