GARETH BALE’S controversial reunion with Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane has been put on hold.
The Los Blancos squad are due to return for pre-season training on August 30.
Gareth Bale’s awkward reunion with Zinedine Zidane at Madrid has been postponedCredit: –
However, Wales’ head coach Ryan Giggs has called the star up for international duty, meaning his return to Madrid is delayed.
Despite being left out of the LaLiga champions’ run-in, his last game being on June 24, the forward is in line to face Finland and Bulgaria in the Nations League on September 3 and 6.
The double-header will provide the 31-year-old with an opportunity for match action after he was outcasted by Zidane.
He was left out for the final six matches of the campaign.
That led to several uncomfortable incidents towards the season’s end with Bale accused of being disrespectful after he was spotted larking around on the sidelines during games.
But that means his future will remain up-in-the-air with Madrid determined to get both him and Colombian James Rodriguez off the wage bill.
Club president Florentino Perez has already stated they must sell before they can buy due to the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
Bale, though, remains determined he will stick to his guns and stay in a £60m stand-off as payback for failing to let him leave last summer.
Zidane confirmed the attacker refused to travel for the Champions League defeat to Manchester City this month because he knew he would not get picked.
Determined Bale plans to see out the final two years of his Bernabeu contract as he remains furious with Real for blocking his mega-move to China 12 months ago.
The £1million-a-week deal to Jiangsu Suning was called off at the 11th hour after Real asked for a transfer fee and that U-turn by the Spanish champions has led to Bale’s stubborn stance.
Meanwhile, Giggs issued a warning to Bale over his lack of match fitness, saying: “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.
“Is it a worry for me? No. That might change, we will have to see in the future.”
Inside Bale’s millionaire lifestyle in Madrid, with a £6.5m home, £230,000 Ferrari and golf on his doorstep
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
