Gareth Bale: Zinedine Zidane says everyone is united at Real Madrid amid transfer speculation
Thursday 16 July 2020 10:26, UK
Zinedine Zidane batted away questions regarding the future of Gareth Bale at Real Madrid and his behaviour in the stands, insisting his squad is united.
Bale has been an unused substitute in the past five games and has raised eyebrows with his recent behaviour in the stands, having been pictured pretending to be asleep in one match and looking through imaginary binoculars at another.
When asked for his opinion on Bale's behaviour, Zidane accused the press of attempting to create a divide between him and the Wales forward.
"My God, what a question, man! We think about tomorrow's game, and Gareth the same. He is one of us. You try to put things between us but you won't be able to," Zidane said.
"Every day you ask the same. You can, you have the right to ask, but everyone here is united. We all think the same way, Gareth, James (Rodriguez), everyone here. We all want the same thing."
Real Madrid are on the cusp of winning La Liga going into Thursday's clash with Villarreal, where victory will seal a first league championship since 2017 with a match to spare.
Bale has played a key role in so many of the side's successes since joining from Tottenham in 2013, yet has managed just 100 minutes of football under Zidane since the league restarted.
Spanish football expert Terry Gibson has called the unfolding situation a "bizarre" episode and believes Bale is stagnating in his career.
"He's started one of the games since the return to play and he doesn't even warm-up on the touchline now. He just sits there," he told the PA news agency.
"He had the facemask pulled over his eyes and pretended he was asleep and the other night there's a new picture where he's got something rolled up and it looks like he's looking for a telescope at the game. It's bizarre.
"But I think it's a real shame. I think it's a lesson for big clubs that when they buy these big players they have to have a use for them because not many others can afford to take them off your hands."
