Real Madrid Injuries befall Real heroes

Bale to undergo operation in London

Kroos making big strides towards injury comeback

Following the latest blow to Gareth Bale, Real Madrid's worrying injury crisis continues, with Dani Carvajal the sole member of the team that started last season's Champions League not to succumb to major injury so far this campaign.

On Tuesday evening, the Welsh attacker become the latest Undecima hero to be hit by the curse of the San Siro, with a scan confirming that Bale would require surgery on an ankle tendon injury.

The news comes as a further disappointment to head coach Zinedine Zidane and his technical staff, who have had to contend with a steady stream of injuries to first-team regulars.

Most debilitating among them have been Casemiro's injury to his left fibula that has kept the midfielder out of 13 games so far this campaign and midfield talisman Luka Modric's knee damage that recently left him on the sidelines for a total of seven matches.

Defensive stalwarts Sergio Ramos, Pepe and goalkeeper Keylor Navas have also been out of action for large chunks, severely limiting Zidane's options during the early part of the season.

The latest injury to Bale means that the Frenchman will have to do without the forward, Casemiro and star midfielder Toni Kroos this weekend, with the San Siro curse showing no signs of abating at present.

Given what has happened to his teammates, then, Carvajal would be right to feel a little worried about his fitness in the coming weeks.