For half an hour in the Saturday match of Real Madrid in the stands of Santiago Bernabeu there was a loud whistle. But the fans didn’t react like that to the opponent who was Real Sociedad that day, the loser in the end with a score of 1: 3, but his own player. Midfielder Gareth Bale has almost declared a real war on the part of fans, and now this is one of the main events in Spanish football.
The Welsh player appeared on the field in a Real Madrid t-shirt for the first time in a month and a half. All this time he was treated for an injury, the nature of which was not disclosed and is still the subject of controversy among fans. Bale came on as a substitute in the 67th minute instead of Rodrigo, and since then every midfielder action has been a whistle. The obstruction did not subside even after the player helped arrange the third goal for his team.
Also, the fans showed banners, which also read obvious dissatisfaction with the player. For example, one of the spectators showed the inscription “Rodrigo, Vinicius, Luca, Bale. In this order". This was a hint of what now the secondary role fans assign to the disgraced midfielder in Real Madrid, as well as a reference to the scandalous episode that occurred a few days earlier during a pause for the matches of the national teams.
Bale had previously caused quiet discontent among fans of Real Madrid. In their opinion, the Welshman does not give his best in games for the club, while he plays for the national team much better. Due to injuries, Bale sometimes does not enter the field for a long time, and his last hit in the infirmary caused a lot of questions. The midfielder did not play for a month and a half, but received a call to the Wales national team and took part in both meetings, on which the team's decision for Euro 2020 depended. Bale twice left in the starting lineup and gave one goal pass.
But most of all Real Madrid fans were pissed at how Bale celebrated his victories for the national team. After the second match, the Welsh players took the flag of their country from the fans with the inscription “Wales, golf, Madrid. In that order ”and they waved it in front of the whole stadium. Joyful Bale joined the celebration and hit the camera lenses with the banner.
The phrase “Wales, Golf, Madrid” became winged after an interview with the former Real Madrid striker Predrag Miyatovic. He criticized Bale because he prefers playing for the national team and is overly passionate about golf, and pays less attention to matters in his native club. Fans of Real Madrid agreed with this position, and for Welsh football fans, the phrase became a kind of pride. In matches for the national team, they began to chant Wales, Golf, Madrid and hung out the same flag with these three words.
Bale did not distance himself from the joke that had gained popularity and avoided provocations against his club. On the contrary, in the post-match comments, he noted that he considered the phrase rather funny, and took a picture with a scandalous flag.
According to media reports, the club was unhappy with Bale's behavior, as they fear an open confrontation with fans. Negativity in the first match of the championship of Spain could not be avoided. Zidane after a convincing, but clouded by a whistle victory had to reassure fans.
“I hope this booing stops. We want the fans to be with us from beginning to end, but we cannot control this. Fans have the right to do as they please, but I ask them to applaud all the players. I am pleased with the game and the victory. I can’t say whether booing is fair or not. Everyone has the right to think anything. We need the support of the fans. The best players are sometimes booed, and Bale entered the game well and should continue to work. There is too much noise around him; he wants to be with us and play well. He is part of the team, ”quotes Zidane Marca.
At the same time, the mentor of Real Madrid, as media reported, had a strained relationship with Bale. The footballer is blamed for his lack of exactingness for himself and the same passion for golf, which, according to one version, is the cause of numerous foot injuries to the footballer. Bale spends all his free time playing the game and even set up a golf simulator in his house in Madrid.
Last summer, Real did not sell Bail, despite the fact that he himself does not feel happy in Spain, and the coach does not want to devote a lot of playing time to him. All offers of transfer, including quite profitable ones, were rejected in Madrid, which irritated Bale, who began to repeat more and more that he was really happy only with calls to the team and the opportunity to communicate with partners in his own language.
Recent scandals involving Bale may push the leadership of Real Madrid to sell the player in the next transfer window. Tottenham fans, from whom the Welshman moved to Madrid in 2013, had already dreamed of his possible return, but sources close to the player refuted his desire to be in London. Bale hopes to move to a club that continues to pay him the same high salary as in Real Madrid.