© Press release
Winger Gareth Bale “Doesn’t want to” play in the second quarter-finals of the Champions League against Manchester City, says Real Madrid head coach Zinédine Zidane.
Madrid will play City as a guest tomorrow, Friday, but Welsh star Balea, 31, has not been named to the Spanish 24-player group at all.
Bale has been in Real Madrid’s opening match in just 14 matches this season, and has only gotten into the field twice since Spain’s interest-free break ended in June.
According to the BBC, Bale decided not to travel to Manchester because he knew he wouldn’t get playing time.
– I had a private conversation with him. He preferred not to play, Zidane commented The BBC’s by.
– Everything else stays between me and him, but he said he didn’t want to play.
Zidane was asked if Bale would continue in the ranks of Real Madrid.
– I do not know. He is currently a Real Madrid player. It has not changed. He is our player, replied the French pilot.
– He wanted not to play. I can’t say anything else. All the rest of us are here preparing for the match. We will focus solely and exclusively on this match.
City won Madrid in the first half away 2-1. The winner of the pair will face Lyon or Juventus in the semi-finals.