Gareth Bale has been lambasted as a ‘bad example’ by the press in Spain after featuring for Wales last night and being taken off at half-time – despite not featuring for Real Madrid after a hamstring tear picked up in September.
Winger Bale was forced to reveal post-match following Wales’ victory against Belarus that his substitution was pre-planned, but his attitude has since been scathingly labelled as ‘unpresentable’ by frustrated reporters.
He has not featured at club level since August 28, in Madrid’s clash against Real Betis, but lined up from the off for his country in their World Cup qualifier.
Gareth Bale has been criticised as a ‘bad example’ after his cameo for Wales against Belarus
Bale has played just three times for Real Madrid this season as a result of a hamstring injury
In El Sanhedrin de Carrusel Deportivo, via AS, Antonio Romero took aim at this statistic and even slammed the 32-year-old as a ‘bad example in the dressing room’.
‘His attitude is unpresentable to be the highest paid in Real Madrid. Madrid on June 30 takes a load off their shoulders,’ Romero said. ‘I think he is a bad example in the dressing room and someone in private should sing him forty.
‘It is unfortunate that today he is a starter with the national team after more than two months without playing in Madrid. He is making fun of the badge he defends.’
Adding to the feeling of anger, Miguel Martin Talaver said: ‘I think that if a player is injured and is out with his team, UEFA should change something there. The biggest misfortune is that he has been injured again.’
The winger has featured more for his country and his club this term, leading to anger in Spain
Bale began the season brightly under Carlo Ancelotti, having played in the first two LaLiga fixtures of the campaign, but he then picked up his latest setback in training and found himself ruled out of action for two months.
Extraordinarily, his cameo against Belarus was his fourth international appearance this term. In comparison, he has played just three times for Madrid.
He has notoriously endured a rocky relationship with supporters of the club in the past, especially in light of his controversial stunt which saw him pose with a flag which read ‘Wales. Golf. Madrid. In that order.’
The stunt took place after Wales beat Hungary to qualify for Euro 2020, and came amid wild celebrations with the crowd in Cardiff. At the time, Bale was heavily linked with a move away, and was caught on camera laughing.
Madrid supporters were enraged after Bale’s notorious, and controversial, flag stunt in 2019
Bale was forced to insist that his substitution at half-time this weekend had been pre-planned
His weekly wage reportedly stands at a hefty £600,000, meanwhile, making him the best-paid player at Madrid. Since he last pulled on Madrid’s jersey in the last week of August, 11 weeks ago, he has earned around £6.6million.
Earlier this week, the former Tottenham man insisted he was ready and raring to get back onto the pitch with Wales.
‘Obviously I’m not at my best, but I’ve worked to be back in time and I’m as good as I could be now,’ Bale said.
‘I haven’t played for two months, so I have no rhythm, but I’ll give my best. I don’t know if I’ll be able to play the whole game, but I’ll give 100 percent as that’s what I always demand of myself.’
Despite starting the campaign brightly with Madrid, Bale has since been derailed by setbacks
He was given the green light to jet out for international duty by boss Carlo Ancelotti (centre)
He was given the green light to jet out for international duty by boss Carlo Ancelotti despite his lack of time on the training field.
Ancelotti said: ‘He trained with the squad but won’t be in the squad because he hasn’t trained a lot with the team.
‘He’s going to go to Wales and they will assess whether he’s fit or not. It’ll be down to how the player trains there.
‘Bale is fine and it’s clear it’s very important he feels right training after two months out and whether he’s feeling confident.
‘It’s not his best period here but the fans will not forget what he’s done and we have to keep the faith.
‘If he is right when he comes back from international duty and he deserves to play, he will play.’
