Gareth Bale is likely to finish the current campaign with his second La Liga winners’ medal.Real Madrid are two victories away from the title following Friday night’s 2-0 win over Alaves.However, the Welshman’s contribution to this season’s title triumph (presuming Zinedine Zidane’s men get the job done over the coming weeks) hasn’t been particularly impressive when you consider the extraordinary ability he possesses.Bale, who is still a world-class footballer, has made 16 appearances in the league this season, scoring just two goals.The 30-year-old was on the brink of a move to China last summer after agreeing a record-breaking £1 million-a-week contract with Jiangsu Suning and you get the impression that Zidane would have preferred it had that transfer gone through.Real Madrid’s board blocked the deal because they wanted a transfer fee for the Wales international.Many publications, including The Guardian, reported at the time that Bale’s relationship with Zidane had broken down - and little has changed on that front over the following 12 months.
It’s patently clear that Zidane can’t wait to get rid of Bale, who arrived at the Bernabeu from Tottenham in 2013.And new footage has emerged from the Alaves game which will surely make Zidane even more determined to offload the former Premier League star this summer.At one point, Bale little had his face mask over his entire face, including his eyes.
He’s reached the point where he’d rather get some kip than watch his teammates in action.
Zidane made five substitutions during the game, but Bale wasn’t one of them.
And after Brahim Diaz was sent on in place of Casemiro in the fourth minute of stoppage time, Bale couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
GIVEMESPORT'S Rob Swan says...
Although amusing, this footage is also a little bit sad, in all honesty.
Bale might be picking up £350,000-a-week after tax at Real Madrid, but he’s wasted one or two of his peak years at the Bernabeu.
A player of his talents should be ripping it up at another top European club, not wasting away on the subs’ bench.
It’s in the best interests of all concerned for Bale to finally leave Madrid this summer - and let’s hope he can rediscover his best form with a new team from the start of the 2020-21 season.