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Northern Ireland boss O'Neill admits he wanted Gareth Bale to be fit for Wales clash
NORTHERN IRELAND may fancy their chances of defeating a Wales side missing Gareth Bale, but boss Michael O'Neill admits the Real Madrid star would have provided a perfect test for their daunting Euro 2016 group.
Michael O'Neill is hoping to guide Northern Ireland to their first win over Wales in 36 years
The Dragons will be without both Bale and Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey due to injuries, and while O'Neill has lost Chris Brunt in recent weeks too, his men will be optimistic of recording a first victory over Wales in 36 years.
It is the first of four friendlies for both countries prior to Euro 2016 and O'Neill conceded the challenge of shackling Bale would have been the ideal preparation ahead of a tournament in which they will come up against Poland's Robert Lewandowski and Germany's Thomas Muller.
"When we go to France we're going to play against some very good teams with some exceptional individual players which Gareth Bale is. Aaron Ramsey comes into that category too," O'Neill said.
"It would have been good for our preparations to have to deal with that, but the fact they are not playing sets us a different challenge.
"It would be great if he had have been able to play. Chris [Coleman] is like me, he probably knows the vast majority of his squad that are going to go to the tournament, I'm sure the players that come in will want to stake their claim for an opportunity as well."