ZINEDINE ZIDANE has urged Real Madrid fans to stop booing Gareth Bale.
The Wales ace celebrated his nation’s Euro 2020 qualification on Tuesday night by posing in front of a banner which read: ‘WALES. GOLF. MADRID. IN THAT ORDER’.
Zinedine Zidane has urged Real Madrid fans to support Gareth BaleCredit: Getty
That sparked fury among Real Madrid supporters, who jeered the Welsh skipper when he appeared as a 67th-minute sub — Bale’s first club outing since October 5 — during Saturday’s 3-1 LaLiga win over Real Sociedad at the Bernabeu.
Zidane said: “I hope this doesn’t carry on for the rest of the season. We want the fans to be with us from the beginning to the end but we can’t control this.
“The public has the right to do what they want but I ask them to support everyone.
“There is too much noise with Bale, he wants to be here and do as well as he can, that’s why we don’t want to talk too much about this.
“He is integrated into the group and he wants to play well, just like everyone else.”
Bale, 30, combined with Karim Benzema to set up Real’s third goal scored by Luka Modric.
In response to Bale’s flag, Real fans waved their own banner which read: “Rodrygo. Vini. Lucas. Bale. In that order”.
Zidane, whose side host Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League tomorrow, added: “I have not spoken to him about the jeers, I have only congratulated him on his performance, as I did all of the players.
“I can’t tell you if it’s unfair or not. Everyone can say what they want. We need our fans — we can’t control what happens.
“Real Madrid supporters have booed all of the very best players and Bale put in a good display when he came on.
“He just needs to focus on working hard on the pitch.
“It’s not about whether I understand the boos or not, we need our fans on our side and so does Gareth, just like every other player.
“If that happens we can move on from this. We want the fans to applaud him, like they did after the goal.”
Team-mate and Real keeper Thibaut Courtois said: “We support him in the field and now he has to win over people.”
Bale angered Real supporters with his cheeky Wales bannerCredit: Getty
Gareth Bale booed and whistled as he comes on as sub for Real Madrid after flag row
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
