No fond farewell but Zidane praises 'spectacular' Bale impact

Welshman Gareth Bale travelled to London to finalise a return to Tottenham Hotspur on loan after seven years at Real Madrid.

Published : Sep 19, 2020 18:06 IST , MADRID

Despite winning four Champions League titles with Real Madrid, Gareth Bale divides opinion because of a perceived lack of commitment and a poor injury record.
Despite winning four Champions League titles with Real Madrid, Gareth Bale divides opinion because of a perceived lack of commitment and a poor injury record.
lightbox-info

Despite winning four Champions League titles with Real Madrid, Gareth Bale divides opinion because of a perceived lack of commitment and a poor injury record.

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane said he did not say anything to Gareth Bale before he left to sign for Tottenham Hotspur but insisted he had no personal issue with the Wales forward and praised what he did for the Spanish club.

Bale travelled to London on Friday to finalise a return to Tottenham on loan after seven years at Real which witnessed a remarkable haul of trophies and goals but ended with the player barely featuring at the end of last season.

READ |

“I did not speak to him,” Zidane told a news conference ahead of Real's first game in La Liga away to Real Sociedad on Sunday, where it will begin its title defence.

“But I know what he has done for this club. He always proved his quality and what he has achieved with the club cannot be argued with.”

While Bale was key to Real winning the 2016 Champions League in Zidane's first season, he was absent from most of the second campaign due to injuries and never managed to re-establish himself as a first-choice player for the Frenchman, even after scoring twice in the 2018 final against Liverpool.

But Zidane disagreed with the perception he forced Bale out.

“It's not like that. It's more complicated. With Bale it's always about one side against the other. But I've never had a problem with Gareth.

“There will always be things that happen. Now he's making a change, all we can do is wish him the best... These things happen in football, but I've always said he was a spectacular player.”

READ |

There will now be more expectation on Real's joint-most expensive player, Eden Hazard, although the Belgian is unlikely to feature against Real Sociedad.

Hazard's debut season at Real was marred by two ankle injuries and other fitness troubles. Zidane said he would not rush him back to action.

“We have more time to prepare for the season and all he needs to do is ensure he gets to 100 or 120% fitness,” he said.

Sign in to unlock all user benefits
  • Get notified on top games and events
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign up / manage to our newsletters with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early bird access to discounts & offers to our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide to our community guidelines for posting your comment