Gareth Bale will play for Wales on Andorra 3G pitch - Chris Coleman
- Published
Gareth Bale will play for Wales on Andorra's artificial pitch despite concerns about the surface from his club, says coach Chris Coleman.
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti told Coleman some of his players had struggled on a 3G surface.
But Coleman said he will pick winger Bale, 25, if he is fit for their first Euro 2016 qualifier on 9 September.
"We've got to pick our strongest team," he said. "He's [Bale] got to be in that and Madrid understand that."
Bale was selected alongside Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey in Coleman's 23-man squad on Wednesday.
Three uncapped players were also called up for Wales' opening match of the campaign - Manchester United forward Tom Lawrence and goalkeepers Kyle Letheren of Dundee and Tranmere's Owain Fon Williams.
Fifa is expected to decide on Friday whether the pitch at Andorra's Estadi Comunal d'Andorra la Vella is suitable to play on.
The game could be moved to Spain if the surface does not pass laboratory and field tests.
"I always says we look after the players. We make sure we try to send them back in the condition where they're going to be fit to play," said Coleman.
"This is a different type of pitch, if this goes ahead, but that doesn't mean we're not going to pick Gareth. If Gareth's available he's going to play in the team."
Coleman said he would rather his team played on a grass surface, but acknowledged the decision was out of their hands.
"If they say we've got to play on 3G, we're going to play on 3G and get a result on on 3G," he said.
After the Andorra game, Wales have two home fixtures in the race to qualify for France 2016 - against Bosnia-Hercegovina on 10 October followed by Cyprus three days later.
They will also face Belgium and Israel in Group B.
The Euro 2016 finals are being hosted by France, who qualify automatically, and will be made up of 24 nations, an increase from 16 in the current format.
The top two teams in each of the nine groups will reach the tournament finals, along with the best third-placed finisher, while the remaining eight third-placed teams go into play-offs in November 2015.
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