Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane has come to the defence of Gareth Bale after the Welsh forward sustained an ankle injury - the latest in a long line of fitness issues during his six-and-a-half seasons in Spain.

Axar.az reports that Bale will miss Madrid's La Liga game against Real Valladolid on Sunday after he sprained his ankle during Madrid's Copa del Rey win over Unionistas de Salamanca on Wednesday. Bale had opened the scoring in a 3-1 victory.

"When he is available, which is the most important thing, he is fine," Zidane said in a press conference on Saturday. "The pity is that the other day he hurt his ankle and he is now unavailable.

"I cannot say when he will be back but he has started to touch the ball again," Zidane said. "His progress is good, he no longer feels pain. Starting Monday, he will start working individually with more ballwork."