Gareth Bale is thriving once again at Real Madrid under Julen Lopetegui.

The Welshman had endured a couple of indifferent campaigns prior to the start of this season.

But he seems a completely different player this term; netting four times and bagging three assists in his opening six games for Los Blancos.

One of the main reasons for his improved form has arguably been the departure of Zinedine Zidane.

The French manager and Bale are said to have had a rocky relationship while the two were at the club.

Zidane often left Bale on the bench for big games; including in the 2018 Champions League final against Liverpool.

After the game Bale even hinted he would look to leave the club in the summer.

"Obviously I need to play," he said immediately after the full-time whistle, per the Daily Express.  "That hasn’t happened this season for one reason or another.

"I was injured for five or six games and I’ve been fit ever since. I’ll have to sit down in the summer, discuss it with my agent and take it from there."

And it was telling that when Zidane did announce his departure from the club, Bale was the only Madrid player not to wish him well for the future.

So what happened between Zidane and Bale?

Spanish football expert Guillem Balague has touched on their relationship at Madrid and has refuted reports that the two fell out.

Instead, he claims that the two never had any relationship at all as Zidane never talked to the Welshman.

"The Welshman never actually fell out with Zidane because to fall out with someone you have to have some kind of contact with them," He wrote in his column for Goal. "The truth is that Zidane, for whatever reason, hardly spoke to Bale at all.

"Other players, especially Cristiano Ronaldo, enjoyed far more of Zidane’s attention. Bale was left with no choice but to adapt his game to support these others."

Interesting stuff. So for some reason, Zidane never even bothered trying to build a relationship with Bale.

Shame on Zidane. It's absolutely no wonder why Bale failed to produce his best for the club during the Frenchman's stint.

Balague goes on to state that Bale knew he was going to stay at Madrid the moment that Zidane left.

"From the moment that Zidane announced his departure, Bale knew that things were now going to be different," he continued. "The subsequent exit of Ronaldo – and the extra space this provided for Bale – was the icing on the cake.

"A planned meeting between Bale's people and Real was not rushed because it had been rendered unnecessary.

"Bale was clearly now poised to be one of the most – if not the most – important element of the new Madrid project."

And Balague notes that his relationship under Lopetegui is completely different.

"But he is not under-appreciated by Lopetegui," he added. "Unlike under Zidane, there is a connection and dialogue between coach and player."