A REAL MESS Gareth Bale: Zidane says Real Madrid player didn’t want to play against Bayern Munich as transfer speculation continues

Bale was left out of the team that lost their pre-season friendly against Bayern and Zidane has attempted to set the record straight and insisted he has shown no disrespect. “That’s the problem. At times my Spanish is a bit confusing,” he told a press conference in America. “I’m going to try and be very clear. Firstly, I haven’t shown a lack of respect towards anyone and particularly not towards a player. I’ve always said the same thing: the players are the most important ones in all of this. “Whenever there’s a player involved, I’ll always back them.

“Secondly, what I said the other day is that the club was working on his exit. “Thirdly, Gareth didn’t come on [against Bayern] because he didn’t want to. He said that the club was working on his exit and that’s why he didn’t come on. Gareth is a Real Madrid player, he’ll train as normal today and we’ll have to see what happens tomorrow”. Bale has been a Real player since 2013 when the club paid Tottenham £85m for him, but despite starring in key games, scoring important goals and winning major trophies, fans have not taken to him.


Asked if Bale has requested not to feature against Arsenal in Washington, Zidane said: “No, he’ll train as usual today and we’ll see what happens tomorrow. You know all about the situation. The club is doing what it has to and that’s all there is to it.

“Bale is currently part of the squad and I respect that. That’s the most important thing for me,” adding the 30-year-old’s presence in the team has not made things uncomfortable. “I’ll be counting on him in everything we do”.

Bayern are believed to be one of the teams interested in signing Bale, as are Paris Saint-Germain, while he has also been linked with a big-money move to China, which would see him become one the best paid players in the world.

Another Real player, Dani Ceballos, is believed to be close to joining Arsenal. “Ceballos is a very good player. I know him from (Real) Betis at the beginning and Real Madrid,” manager Unai Emery said. “He played very well in the Under-21s [European Championship], his national team won the competition.” It is unclear, though, whether a deal for the 22-year-old will be done before the two clubs play each other in their pre-season friendly.