RED STAR BELGRADE
No Bale.. but in-form Rambo is backed to shine in Serbia
JOE ALLEN is backing Aaron Ramsey to show his class when Wales face Serbia without Gareth Bale.
Talisman Bale is suspended for Sunday’s crunch World Cup qualifier in Belgrade against the Group D leaders.
Allen admits the absence of the Real Madrid star, who has just won a third Champions League crown, is a huge loss.
But Allen has been cheered by Arsenal ace Ramsey scoring in the FA Cup Final against Chelsea to lift the trophy for a third time with the Gunners.
Stoke midfielder Allen, 27, said: “We are going to miss Gareth, it is a negative for him to be suspended for this game.
“But we are confident we have enough in this squad to cope without him. Rambo has come back in after a few days’ break and looks in great nick.
“He finished the end of the season really strongly. He is an example of someone hitting top form at an important time for us.
“It is three Champions Leagues for Balo and it is three FA Cups for Rambo. Every time he plays at Wembley, it tends to go well for him.
“Sometimes he is forgotten, amid all the talk of Gaz, but he is someone who I have huge admiration for.
“On his day, he is a world-class footballer, but, without Gareth, everyone has to pull together.”
Wales reached the semi-finals at Euro 2016, but are third in Group D after four successive draws.
Defeat would leave Wales seven points off automatic qualification, with only four games left — and, if second-placed Republic of Ireland beat Austria at home the same day, even a play-off spot will look out of reach. Allen, with 35 caps, added: “We understand this game could be pivotal in terms of really getting that momentum going again.
“We are not going to hide the fact it is important. A loss would leave us in a difficult position.
“People think it is good to bill it as a must-win gung-ho game, but that isn’t a good approach.” Allen played in Serbia when Wales lost 6-1 in 2012 early in Chris Coleman’s reign, after he succeeded tragic Gary Speed.
He added: “It was the rocket we needed, if you look at where we are now, it’s a million miles from that day. We have a record we want to set straight out there.”