Back to the International Newsfeed

Real Madrid team news: Bale returns to Real Madrid XI but Cristiano Ronaldo is rested

Gareth Bale has returned to the Real Madrid starting XI for the club's Copa del Rey clash against Numancia.

The Welshman was named in Zinedine Zidane's squad ahead of the fixture, having overcome calf and hamstring issues, but Cristiano Ronaldo has been left out of the travelling pack.

Ronaldo, along with Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, Marcelo and Sergio Ramos, has been excluded from the squad to face the second-tier team in the first leg of the round of 16 at Nuevo Estadio Los Pajaritos this evening.

Karim Benzema also misses the tie, having suffered a hamstring injury during Real's 3-0 Clasico defeat at home to Barcelona in their last outing.