Real Madrid injury news: Gareth Bale is 'feeling strong and fit' for Barcelona clash

Real Madrid have been handed a massive boost against Barcelona after star forward Gareth Bale declared himself fit for the El Clasico. The treble winners make a trip to the Santiago Bernabeu for one of the biggest clashes in the La Liga on 21 November.

The former Tottenham Hotspur man struggled with a calf problem at the start of the season, which kept him out for a month. The recurrence of the injury in October saw him spend time on the sidelines. Bale was not expected to feature for Real's clash against the Catalan club. However, the Wales international claims he is "feeling strong and fit," which will be a massive boost for Rafael Benitez.

"I've been out with injury for six weeks so I haven't had a chance to play much this season. Nowhere near as much as I would have liked anyway, but I'm feeling strong and fit for this game. I'm ready for battle. I want to keep trying to give my best, to work hard and to help the team win," Bale told Real's official website.

Real have lost only one match while Luis Enrique's side suffered two defeats in 11 matches played so far this season. Despite that, Barcelona sit on top of the table with 27 points, leading the 10-time European champions by three points.

A victory for the home side on Saturday will see them move to the top of the table, with goal differences separating Real and Barcelona. Bale claims there is still room for his side to improve and start gaining momentum as the season progresses.

"We've been in good form so far this season, we've only lost one game and I still think there is some room for improvement. We could still be better, play better, and I'm hoping that, as the season goes on, our form continues to improve and that leads us to winning La Liga," the former Premier League star explained.