It seems clear that Gareth Bale’s starting role at Villarreal on February 12 and his 74 minutes on the pitch were a mirage. Because just three minutes last Tuesday in Paris against PSG in the Champions League, a new substitution is now added last night at the Santiago Bernabéu. The fourth also in the League in the last five games where the Welshman did not play a single minute. He didn’t even go out to warm up on the pitch at the Santiago Bernabéu.
This fact is even more striking because this match against Alavés was not just any match for the Welshman. It meant his return to the white stadium after almost two years without playing and coinciding with the white fans. Specifically since February 26, 2020 when Real Madrid was defeated 1-2 by Manchester City. Since then, between the pandemic and his continuous injuries, Bale had not seen the Bernabéu from the bench again. He always from the box reserved for the players. He almost did it on September 12 against Celta, in the Whites’ first game of the season at home. But it was precisely in training the day before at the white stadium when he injured his knee.
To the point that the Santiago Bernabéu and the Whites’ fans have not celebrated a goal of theirs for 1,072 days against the team from Vigo. As soon as it will no longer be possible to see him dressed in shorts until next March 5 at the visit of the Royal Society. Four days before the big game against PSG.
The mirage of Villarreal
Seen what was seen yesterday, it seems clear that his surprising start against Villarreal was a mere mirage. The continuation of a very gray season where he has barely played 270 minutes. All of them, except for the three finals at the Parc des Princes, in the League championship. Three minutes that marked his debut in this edition of the Champions League. In fact, the seventy-four of them at the Cerámica stadium is the most minutes this season out of the four games he has played so far in the league championship.
Yesterday he returned to the ostracism in which he is immersed throughout the season. being him the fourth of the last six games where he did not play a single minute, even being available for Carlo Ancelotti.
They are already 360 minutes sitting on the bench since the Welshman returned to a call with him Elche in the League. That day he was already at the Santiago Bernabéu to tie the two that they achieved in the final moments and where, despite the need to overcome the result against, he never pulled on Bale to try to achieve it.
The same thing happened again in the cup duel against Athletic Club de Bilbao. This time also with the handicap of the absence of Karim Benzema. Nor did Ancelotti think at any time of Bale.
The last league precedent before what happened last night was in Granada. With Benzema injured and Vinicius injured, the Welshman was not used in the eleven or when he had to move the bench to seek victory. Even the youth squad Latasa warmed up ahead of Bale. He also did not play in the Cup against Elche where he was warming up.
But looking back, Bale already had to watch the 90 minutes of the derby against Atlético de Madrid on December 12 at the Santiago Bernabéu from the bench. Then he returned from a calf injury that was added to the previous knee injury that the white forward dragged. In this last period of inactivity until his return a few months ago, COVID and back problems have been the cause.
This leads us to the fact that they have had to spend five and a half months to see him dressed in white. The last time was on August 28 in the league match against Betis at Villamarín. That day he played 66 of the 193 minutes he has played all season. He has not yet played at the Santiago Bernabéu.
Contract ends and will be non-community
To all this, let’s add that Gareth Bale ends his contract at the end of this season and where, in addition, from July 1, the player will have non-EU status.
During this season, as an exceptional condition, he still has a community license this campaign as a result of the agreement between LaLiga, RFEF and the CSD. But he will go out on the market as a player without a community passport.
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