Real Madrid: Zinedine Zidane is saying all the right things about Gareth Bale
There is so much drama swirling around Real Madrid and Gareth Bale, especially since the fans and the media have turned on the player for his actions over the November break. But manager Zinedine Zidane has remained even-keeled.
Zinedine Zidane is held in high regard at Real Madrid after leading the team to three Champions League titles, and while a slow start to the 2019-2020 campaign in his second stint as manager left fans wondering if Cristiano Ronaldo simply carried him to glory, Zidane has more than quieted the critics since.
What separates Zidane from so many other managers is his man-management skills. One of the greatest players in the history of football, Zidane understands what it’s like to compete at the highest level, especially at a pressurized club like Real Madrid.
Gareth Bale has felt the pressure like nobody else during his career at the Bernabeu. He’s had to live up to a huge contract, fight past injuries, deal with media speculation about his interests, and defend his integration to the club. Lately, things have bottomed out for Bale, and while he’s seemingly taken the banter in stride, it’s clear that, at 30, he does not have a long-term future with the club.
But if Real are to get their money’s worth for such a talented player, they need to make sure there is no strife in the dressing room. Bale seems to have a great relationships with the players, whereas the issues seem to be more with the fans and the media. And that’s understandable.
For Zidane and the club, the key is making sure Bale is happy on the pitch, effective when working with his teammates, and able to showcase his quality to clubs in Europe’s top five. A huge key to that is publicly having Bale’s back, particularly when engaging with the Spanish media in press conference.
On that front, Zidane continues to say all the right things.
According to MARCA’s Juan Ignacio Garcia-Ochoa, Zidane made the following remarks at a recent press conference:
"“I think a lot of noise has been made around Bale’s gesture, but what we need to do is focus on football.“It’s too much.“I’m only looking at the sporting side of things, not what is said outside of the club.“What is said outside doesn’t interest me.“When you look at what he has done during his time here, the fans have to be with him.“People who really feel Real Madrid’s colours have to be with Bale.“I think he can be a decisive player again and I only think about that.“I am counting on Bale, that’s nothing new.“He’s going to be plugged in.”"
Clearly, Zidane has Bale’s back. As a former world-class player, Zidane understands firsthand what world-class players like Bale go through at Real Madrid. While Bale’s situation is certainly unique to what Zidane faced at the club, Zidane knows what matters more than anything else: the performance on the pitch.
More importantly, Zidane has called for an end to the hostilities from Madridistas. Although fans are within their right to be frustrated at a player when they potentially disrespect the club, it is important not to cross the line and to realize that Bale’s reactions are only natural when faced with so much undeserved criticism and backlash.
Zidane is trying to douse the flames as best he can so that Bale can have a chance to perform to the best of his abilities. Even if Bale makes his expected exit in the winter or summer transfer window, it is still critical for him to both benefit the team in the standings and in the pocketbooks by playing to his standard.