Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho wasn’t happy with his players after they were beaten 1-0 by Royal Antwerp on Thursday.
Mourinho made four changes at half-time, bringing off Giovani Lo Celso, Dele Alli, Steven Bergwijn and Carlos Vinicius.
Gareth Bale lasted just 13 second-half minutes before he was replaced.
Mourinho made clear his dissatisfaction with the display after the defeat, saying his future team selections will be very easy after he named a changed starting line-up.
“I would like to make 11 [changes],” he said at full-time, per Metro. “In the end Antwerp got what they deserved. The best team won and the worst team lost.
“It’s also their opportunity to catch the chance with both hands and ask for more. Tonight my future choices are going to be very easy.”
His post-match Instagram was even more telling.
Mourinho named a starting XI that he thought would be good enough to beat the Belgian outfit, and he was probably right.
But he got a string of below-par performances.
Not least from Bale, who failed to make an impact and looked short of fitness.
Video of Bale's performance
The Wales forward is still yet to play 90 minutes since returning to Spurs.
But after Mourinho said he was nearly back to peak condition on Wednesday, his flat performance is a concern.
He spent the majority of the game with his back to goal and barely threatened.
A video of his performance shows just how sluggish a display it was.
Thanks to the impressive efforts of Harry Kane and Son Heung-min this season, Spurs haven’t needed Bale to be incredible.
It shouldn’t be long before he’s 100 per cent, and that’s when he’ll be properly judged.
But right now, Real Madrid won’t be regretting their decision to let him leave.