Tottenham’s Gareth Bale to miss Manchester City clash with ruptured ankle ligament
Gareth Bale will miss the remainder of the Premier League season after a scan confirmed he suffered a ruptured ankle ligament in the club’s 1-1 draw with Blackpool at the weekend.
Uncertain: Gareth Bale was stretchered off after Charlie Adam's challenge at the weekend Photo: GETTY IMAGES
By Telegraph staff and agencies 4:00PM BST 09 May 2011
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Tottenham confirmed the PFA Player of the Year will wear a protective boot for the next 12 days before starting a rehabilitation regime and despite the seriousness of the injury he is expected to be fit for the start of pre-season training.
Bale was forced off in the 1-1 draw following a robust challenge from Blackpool captain Charlie Adam and the Wales international’s most impressive season to date has now ended prematurely.
Harry Redknapp had already speculated Bale would miss the games against Manchester City, Liverpool and Birmingham and after consulting an ankle specialist his fears were confirmed.
“It’s badly swollen, his ankle. We will just have to wait and see how bad the damage is,” Redknapp said before the results of the scan were known.
“It’s a blow but we have been without Gareth quite a bit recently.
“He has had injuries and he hasn’t really come back from those injuries to the form (he was in before).
“It’s been difficult for him. The injuries have knocked him back.
“He has had a fantastic season. The first three-quarters of the season, he was unplayable. He was making goals and scoring goals and he won player of the year.
“Over the last couple of months the injury has taken its toll on him. During that time he hasn’t quite been the same boy and now he has another injury that rules him out again.”
Bale’s likely absence from the run in is a big blow to the Londoners whose otherwise fantastic season risks ending on a downbeat note with there participation in Europe next season in doubt due to a string of damaging draws and the resurgence of Liverpool.
Redknapp refused to be overly critical of Adam, with the Blackpool midfielder also insisting he never meant to hurt Bale.
“I just saw the ball, I just tried to get it,” said Adam. “It was never intentional, I never tried to hurt him because he’s a wonderful player and at the end of the day I’d rather see these players on the pitch.”
Adam came close to an 11th-hour move to White Hart Lane, and despite a dip in form, Spurs and Liverpool have been linked with a summer transfer for the midfielder.
Blackpool manager Ian Holloway denied the 25-year-old would definitely be leaving, saying: “I am not resigned to losing him.”
Redknapp also ruled out lodging another bid for the Scot despite seeing him score the opening goal in Saturday’s draw from the penalty spot before Jermain Defoe equalised in the 89th minute.
“Charlie Adam is a good player but the closest I came to signing him was at 10.10pm on deadline day,” Redknapp said.
“I didn’t lose any sleep over it. I would have liked him to come here because is a very good player but I have a lot of good footballers here. Sandro is improving, (Luka) Modric is fantastic, Tom Huddlestone will be back, (Wilson) Palacios is getting fit hopefully.”
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