This archive report was first published on 16 July 2020.
Real Madrid Manager Denies Rift with Gareth Bale ¶
Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane has denied any rift with Welsh winger Gareth Bale, who has been an unused substitute in the team's last five La Liga matches.
According to reports, Bale has only played 100 minutes of football this season under Zidane, and has been spotted playfully poking fun at his own club while on the bench during those games.
On one instance, Bale was seen covering his face in a gesture that showed he was rather bored after Zidane used all five of his substitutions.
On another instance, he was spotted looking through imaginary binoculars.
When asked about Bale's antics during a press conference, Zidane vehemently denied any rift between himself and the player, accusing the media of trying to paint a non-existent beef between the two.
"My God, what a question, man! We think about tomorrow's game, and Gareth the same. He is one of us. You try to put things between us but you won't be able to," an agitated Zidane said.
"Every day you ask the same. You can, you have the right to ask, but everyone here is united. We all think the same way, Gareth, James (Rodriguez), everyone here. We all want the same thing," he added.
Real Madrid is well on course for their first La Liga title in four seasons, and a win on Thursday, July 16 against Villareal would be enough to secure the title.
