Gareth Bale omitted from Wales squad due to Real Madrid agreement

Gareth Bale has been left in the Spanish capital as part of an agreement between his club Real Madrid and homeland Wales.

The Dragons take on Northern Ireland at the Cardiff City Stadium next Thursday before facing the Ukraine four days later in friendlies that offer Chris Coleman an opportunity to assess who should travel to the Euro 2016 finals this summer.

Bale will sit out though due to a season hampered by calf issues and also because is wife is expected to give birth to their second child next week.

"It's not just the games, it's the travelling," Coleman said at the squad announcement. "It was a joint decision with Real Madrid. It suits both parties that he doesn't play.

"We only discussed the physical element, but if his wife is due to give birth that's another issue. If it's possible he's always with us."

There were concerns when Bale moved from Tottenham Hotspur to Los Blancos in 2013 that he wouldn't be able to turn out for his country as much. The attacker lay waste to those suggestions though, playing a starring role as Wales secured a spot in France - its first major tournament since 1958.

"People said we wouldn't get him as much when he went to Real Madrid two years ago, but he's played his best football for us in that time," Coleman added.

Numerous players will be given another chance to impress for their country due to the lack of availability of Bale, Aaron Ramsey, James Collins, Paul Dummett and David Edwards. A late decision will be made on Ben Davies, who suffered a head injury in Tottenham Hotspur's 2-1 loss to Borussia Dortmund on Thursday.

Here is the Wales squad in full:

Goalkeepers: Wayne Hennessey (Crystal Palace), Owain Fon Williams (Inverness Caledonian Thistle), Danny Ward (Liverpool)

Defenders: Ashley Williams (Swansea City), James Chester (West Bromwich Albion), Chris Gunter (Reading), Adam Matthews (Bristol City - on loan from Sunderland), Neil Taylor (Swansea), Adam Henley (Blackburn Rovers), Jazz Richards (Fulham), Ben Davies (Tottenham)

Midfielders: James Vaughan (Nottingham Forest), Emyr Huws (Wigan Athletic), Joe Allen (Liverpool), Joe Ledley (Crystal Palace), Shaun MacDonald (Bournemouth), George Williams (Gillingham - on loan from Fulham), Lloyd Isgrove (Barnsley - on loan from Southampton), Andrew Crofts (Brighton & Hove Albion), Jonny Williams (Milton Keynes Dons - on loan from Crystal Palace), David Cotterill (Birmingham City)

Forwards: Hal Robson-Kanu (Reading), Tom Lawrence (Cardiff City - on loan from Leicester City), Simon Church (Aberdeen - on loan from MK Dons), Sam Vokes (Burnley), Tom Bradshaw (Walsall)