Real Madrid are in quite the predicament with veteran winger Gareth Bale, because while they must play him in order to assert his value on the transfer market, his presence could be clogging up space for the stars of the future.
The situation developing between Gareth Bale and the media and supporters around Real Madrid has been ugly, to say the least. Bale is still a world-class forward who has the potential to score copious goals and stretch defenses thin with his raw athleticism, but that world-class ability has been less pronounced in the last couple of seasons.
His antics over the November international break cost him more goodwill from the fans and media, though Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane has urged Real fans to stand by their troubled star.
When he’s on the pitch, Bale is effective. His outside-the-boot pass against Granada and brace earlier in the year against Villarreal were shining examples of his quality. So he will continue to get opportunities to play in the lineup, as he has been named to the 19-man squad against Champions League contenders Real Sociedad in Los Blancos’ first game after the break.
A healthy Bale is a dangerous proposition for any opponent, but the same can be said about Rodrygo and Vinicius Junior, who have both been in better form than Bale. More importantly, Rodrygo and Vinicius are the future for Real, as they have the potential to be Bale-level superstars for years to come, whereas Bale himself is on the decline as a 30-year-old.
According to a report from Mario Cortegana and Agustin Martin from MARCA, Vinicius’ representatives are growing considered about “double standards” in the club that favor Bale, who has earned the status of a club legend. Vinicius’ camp has been concerned about the young star’s minutes over the past several weeks, which has likely helped fueled loan speculation. Even Ronaldo has fanned the flames, calling for Vinicius to be loaned to Real Valladolid for the regular playing time that would be key to his development.
Loaning Vinicius is not an ideal outcome for Real Madrid, because the 19-year-old has the quality to help the club greatly in their pursuit for titles in 2019-2020. But if Vinicius is stuck behind Bale and not in the squad, then that doesn’t do anyone any good. And if Vinicius does make the squad, then Real also have to consider Bale keeping the likes of Luka Jovic out of the 19-man roster. (Note: It’s unlikely Rodrygo will ever be dropped if healthy or fit.)
Bale has something left to give and is a club legend, but Real Madrid now have another delicate situation to handle. They need to play Bale when he’s effective and boost his transfer value, but they also need to keep in mind the morale and development of young players. A forward like Vinicius can offer so much to Los Blancos in five years’ time, so if there are rumblings of discontent in his camp, then Zidane and Florentino Perez must take note.