Zinedine Zidane Explains Omission Of Former Star In Lineup Against Manchester City

The defending La Liga champions are expected to be in top form, as Real Madrid will face Manchester City in the second leg of the Champions League round of 16. The noticeable difference in their lineup features the absence of Gareth Bale to which Zinedine Zidane explains as the former star winger’s choice.

The relationship between Bale and Zinedine Zidane has been met with turmoil for already over a year. This can be one of the reasons attributed to Bale’s struggles in the past few months. The Welsh superstar has been constantly relegated to the bench of Real Madrid and has seen minimal playing time on the field. Considered as one of the more exciting players in the game, Bale only saw 16 appearances in this year’s La Liga season and was seated on the bench for 10 games.

While it has been speculated that the reason for Bale’s absence is how he doesn’t see eye to eye with Zidane, the champion manager disputes these claims.

"I will explain because many things are said," Zidane said by way of Goal.com.

The former Tottenham Hotspur Player of the Year entered real Madrid in 2013 and has tallied 251 games and scored 105 goals and tallied 68 assists. Despite the potential to contribute, Bale hasn’t been able to play much for Los Blancos.

"We have a relationship of respect between player and coach, that is clear. The only thing I can say is that he has decided not to play, and the rest is between him and me," Zidane continued.

With everything that Zidane has accomplished, adding another Champions League trophy is next in line for the veteran. After winning the La Liga championship in dominant fashion, Zidane expects more from his club in the upcoming matches. The Champions League is familiar territory for Zidane as a coach as he’s won the tournament three straight years before back in 2016 to 2018.

Whether or not Bale is included in the roster, Real Madrid will still have star players suiting up and excelling on the pitch. It will be interesting to see how Bale will fit in with the squad in the near future.