Watch Azerbaijan vs Wales on November 16 - coverage begins on Sky Sports Football and Sky Sports Main Event from 4:15pm
Tuesday 5 November 2019 12:44, UK
Wales manager Ryan Giggs says he is in regular contact with Gareth Bale, who remains confident he will be fit to face Azerbaijan and Hungary in their European Qualifiers.
Bale has not played for Real Madrid since scoring in Wales' 1-1 draw with Croatia on October 13.
Wales ideally require maximum points from their games in Baku and Cardiff later this month in ordered to secure direct qualification.
Bale and Juventus midfielder Aaron Ramsey have therefore been included in Giggs' squad, despite the former Arsenal player having also struggled with injury of late.
"He picked that little injury up in the game against Croatia," Giggs said of Bale. "It wasn't a big injury but with the short turnaround, that is a worry.
"I'm in constant contact with him and he feels confident that he is going to be fit for the game.
"It's just a [case of] monitoring it this week day by day. The last time I spoke to him, he was confident he'd be OK."
As for Ramsey, Giggs confirmed they will monitor him closely, as they will Bale, but he is similarly upbeat on his chances of playing.
"He's come on in the last two games for Juventus and has looked sharp and full of running," Giggs added.
"He went through a stage where he started three games on the bounce before the last camp and then unfortunately got a little injury.
"I wouldn't say he is 100 per cent match fit but he looks good, he looks sharp, so we will see what he looks like when he joins up with us later this week and then just monitor it from there."
Despite the pressure on Wales to perform in their final two European Qualifiers, Giggs feels his side has some momentum having gone unbeaten since they lost 1-0 away to Hungary in June.
Giggs said: "They're huge games. Obviously, we know we need to win the two games. They are two difficult games, we have played against both teams - we beat Azerbaijan and lost to Hungary - and it is a competitive group.
"You have to turn up on the night but we are in good form.
"I feel we've got momentum and I feel with the performances over the last three games that on a different night - especially against Slovakia - we could have got all three points.
"The team is in good shape at the moment and I am confident."
