RYAN GIGGS has warned Gareth Bale will not get any special treatment with Wales.
And the Dragons boss concedes he may have a decision to make on Bale’s game time at next summer’s Euros if his Real Madrid woes continue.
Ryan Giggs may not pick Gareth Bale if he does not start playing club footballCredit: Reuters
Bale played just 100 minutes of Real’s final 12 games of the season and asked to be left out of the Spanish club’s Champions League last-16 tie at Manchester City.
Giggs has no short-term worries on talisman Bale after naming him in his 26-man squad for next month’s Nations League double-header with Finland and Bulgaria but he can see the warning signs in the future.
Giggs said: “There is no special treatment for anyone. I will look at each case individually.
“It is always something, a player not playing or a late injury. I need to adapt. If it becomes a problem in six months we will have to see. I can’t see it being a problem for these games.
“He is a good professional and always keeps himself fit. I speak to him when he is on camp. He was available for me for every game in the qualifiers. It’s never been a problem so far.
Bale has spent most of his time on the Real Madrid bench this season but found ways to entertain himselfCredit: EPA
“Is it a worry for me? No. That might change, we will have to see in the future.”
With Bale’s relationship with Real boss Zinedine Zidane at a low following the stand-off in Madrid, the 31-year-old will be welcomed with open arms by Giggs when he arrives by private jet to Cardiff on Sunday.
The Manchester United legend added: “I hope he is remembered for the fantastic footballer that he is.
“To score twice in Champions League finals, to win it four times and to score one of the best goals ever seen in a final – things like that don’t happen every day.
“Gareth is a special player who can make the difference for me. He has also made a difference in key moments for Real Madrid as well.
“That’s what great players do. Big players turn up in the big moments in the big games and he has certainly done that.”
Liverpool’s Neco Williams, 19, has been called into the senior squad for the first time and is one of two new faces alongside Swansea defender Ben Cabango, 20, while Hal Robson-Kanu returns after retiring from international football in 2018.
Giggs confirmed all his stars which also includes Aaron Ramsey of Juventus will be tested for Covid-19 when they arrive in the Welsh capital to join their secure bio-bubble.
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Giggs said: “They will all be tested and we will get the results the next morning and take it from there really.
“It’s difficult, they can’t even fly business. They have to fly privately. We are doing all we can to make sure that it’s a safe environment they are coming into.
“Even before that we are doing all we can to make sure that we have looked after everything we possibly can.”
The stadium for next Thursday’s clash in Finland, which was likely to be in Helsinki, has yet to be confirmed by Uefa and could be moved to a neutral venue due to the pandemic.
Finland yesterday cancelled their own squad announcement as exemptions to enter the country have not been granted.
Giggs added: “We are still awaiting the announcement of where we will be playing. We are just preparing the best we can.”
Giggs confirmed his assistant Albert Stuivenberg, the Arsenal coach, will remain in the set-up for Euro 2020 next summer, although he will miss the September double-header.
He said: “I had a discussion with Mikel Arteta (Arsenal manager) and Albert and we agreed he would miss this camp. He had to rush back from holiday in Holland to London to avoid going into quarantine. But Albert wants to carry on the journey he started on and Mikel wants him to finish it.”
Wales squad: Hennessey, Ward, A Davies; Gunter, A Williams, B Davies, Roberts, Lockyer, Ampadu, Lawrence, Cabango, N Williams; Ramsey, J Williams, Wilson, Brooks, Smith, James, Vaulks, Morrell, Levitt; Bale, Robson-Kanu, Roberts, Matondo, Moore.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
