Real Madrid star Gareth Bale is reportedly upset with the treatment he has received from the club, namely from Zinedine Zidane and Florentino Perez.
As noted by BBC Sport, the Welsh international joined the La Liga giants in 2013 in a then world record deal worth £85m, and was seen as an integral part of the team’s future for years to come.
However, he’s been left frustrated in recent weeks, not only with president Perez who has yet to fulfil his promise of renewing his contract, but also with Zidane who replaced Bale against Villarreal last time out with 20 minutes remaining.
According to Diario Gol, Bale wants a more prominent role in the team and feels as though Cristiano Ronaldo enjoys favourable treatment. Having felt as though he deserved to play on in that game more so than either Ronaldo or Karim Benzema, it has sparked an angry reaction from him.
The report goes on to add that a year ago, Perez insisted that Bale would become the leader of the team and that he was guaranteed a salary increase. 12 months on, and nothing has changed which in turn has led to this reported tense situation between the player and club.
“Bale was enraged. He was scowling,” claims the Diario Gol source. It goes on to add that after his agent Jonathan Barnett has been ‘flirting for months’ with United, and with Jose Mourinho keen on adding a star signing to his squad next summer, it could very well be Bale who ticks the box.
Admittedly, there is plenty of time for the situation to change at the Bernabeu, and Bale may well begin to feel more important to the team in the weeks and months ahead.
Nevertheless, unless a new contract is sorted out and unless Zidane starts to give him a more prominent role, things could continue to turn sour.