Injury-riddled Bale limps off during El Clasico

If Gareth Bale didn't have bad luck, he wouldn't have any luck at all.

Hampered by injuries all season, Real Madrid's Welsh international limped off in the 39th minute of Sunday's El Clasico clash with Barcelona, favouring an apparent left calf concern.

Prodigious Mallorca academy product Marco Asensio came on for Bale and assumed his role on the left side of Real's front-three.

After facing a race for fitness that saw Bale a surprise inclusion in Zinedine Zidane's starting XI, it would appear that the pacey winger was rushed back too early after missing two matches with an injury to his right ankle.

Sunday's start put Bale in exclusive company, with the former Tottenham star joining Gary Lineker and David Beckham as the only British players to make 100 appearances in the Spanish top flight, though the Southampton product may have to now wait a while for his next.

In his fourth season with the Champions League holder, Bale has appeared in 18 league matches for the club and appears unlikely to eclipse last season's 23 La Liga run-outs.