Lucas Vazquez returns to Real Madrid training ahead of Bilbao trip as Gareth Bale works in the gym

Real Madrid winger Lucas Vazquez was back in training on Wednesday morning (29 November) after missing the Copa del Rey draw against Fuenlabrada due to a muscle injury.

The former Espanyol forward made a rare start during the weekend win over Malaga after Zinedine Zidane opted to drop Luka Modric.

Vazquez, 26, completed the full 90 minutes of the game as Los Blancos secured a 3-2 victory to put pressure on leaders Barcelona at the top of La Liga table, with the Catalans eight points clear after 13 games.

But Zidane ruled out the winger for the second leg of the Copa del Rey last 32 with Fuenlabrada, which finished 2-2, after revealing that he had sustained an injury to his soleus.

Yet it seems that it was only a minor problem with Vazquez back in training on Wednesday ahead of Saturday's [2 December] La Liga trip to Athletic Club Bilbao.

Meanwhile, Gareth Bale didn't work with the rest of available teammates after the Wales international made an impressive return to action during the clash with the Second Division B team.

The former Tottenham Hotspur star came off the bench in the 62<sup>nd minute and played a crucial role to avoid his side a humiliating elimination, creating two goals for Borja Mayoral as Real progressed with a 4-2 aggregate win.

Real didn't disclose the reason behind his absence from the workout but it is likely it was as a precaution with Bale having been on the sidelines for more than two months prior to his comeback.

Marco Asensio and long-term absentee Luca Zidane also missed the training session with the former having been unavailable to Zidane in the last two games due to a muscle injury.

"The squad completed the second session of the week at Real Madrid City and began preparing for the league match against Athletic, which will be played this Saturday at San Mamés (8:45pm CET). Lucas Vázquez, who on Monday trained inside the facilities, worked with the group. The players who started against Fuenlabrada trained at lower intensity," Real Madrid confirmed in its official website.

"Zidane again had under-19s goalkeeper A Moha for the session that started with ball circulation work and pressing before later moving on to combination play and finishing exercises and games on a reduced sized field. Luca and Asensio continue with their recovery processes, while Bale worked inside the facilities."

Cristiano Ronaldo also appeared in the pictures provided by the club during the workout after having been one of the nine first-team players rested by Zidane during the Copa del Rey clash.

Meanwhile, Sergio Ramos could also return against Athletic after having been out of action since breaking his nose in the derby with Atletico Madrid on 18 November.