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Tag: Gareth Bale

  • Bale sees red after brace as Real draw at Villarreal

    Gareth Bale twice came to Real Madrid’s rescue to salvage a 2-2 draw at Villarreal in La Liga on Sunday

    The Wales forward however ended the night in despair as he was sent off in added time for receiving two yellow cards.

    Real were severely weakened by six injuries to attacking players and fell behind in the 11th minute.

    This was after captain Sergio Ramos lost the ball in his own half and Villarreal broke quickly, with Gerard Moreno scoring on the rebound.

    Bale equalised in stoppage time of the first half by tapping in a cross from Dani Carvajal from close range.

    But Villarreal restored their lead in the 74th minute through Moi Gomez, after Karim Benzema had a goal ruled out for offside.

    Bale has a long and successful record playing at Villarreal.

    Read Also: BREAKING: Bale won’t leave Madrid on loan, says agent

    He scored there on his Real debut in 2013 after completing his 100 million-euro move from Tottenham Hotspur and netted in a 3-2 win in 2017 and a 2-2 draw in 2018.

    He again pulled Madrid out of trouble with a powerful low strike in the 88th minute but somehow contrived to get himself sent off by earning two yellow cards for fouls in stoppage time.

    Real have picked up five points from their opening three games, one more than champions Barcelona, but Zinedine Zidane’s sides are four points behind leaders Atletico Madrid, who have won all three matches.

    Zidane criticised his side for their lacklustre start but was pleased with how they reacted to going behind.

    “We began the game without any intensity, we were barely in the game for the first 15 minutes, it’s always important to make a strong start,” he told a news conference.

    “But we reacted well and we deserved to score more goals.

    “We were up against a good opponent and we have to improve in defence because we know what we are capable of in attack.

    “But I’m focusing on the positive things we did today, above all our reaction, because it was very important that we didn’t lose today.”

     

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  • BREAKING: Real Madrid call off Gareth Bale’s move to China

    Real Madrid has called off Gareth Bale’s proposed move to China.

    The Real Madrid star was set to leave for Chinese Super League side Jiangsu Suning in a £1m-a-week deal.

    Details Shortly…

  • Inter Milan dump Romelu Lukaku chase for Gareth Bale         

    Inter Milan have turned their attentions to Gareth Bale after failing to land Romelu Lukaku, reports in Italy have revealed. Over the weekend, it was stated by multiple outlets that Manchester United have rejected Inter’s €60million offer for Lukaku.

    Just two years after joining the Old Trafford giants, the 26-year-old is keen to move onto pastures new and Antonio Conte is keen to bring the striker to Serie A.

    The two clubs met for an International Champions Cup clash in Singapore on Saturday, but Lukaku watched from the sidelines due to his latest knock.

    On the eve of the match, Inter head coach Conte confirmed his desire to sign a player he missed out on as Chelsea boss in 2017.

    “I think frustrated is a big word,” he said in English when asked about the inability to complete a deal.

    “Lukaku is a united player and this is the reality. You know very well that I like this player, but also in the past when I was Chelsea’s coach and I tried to bring him to Chelsea.

    “But I repeat, today Lukaku is a player of United and this is the reality and this is the truth,” he said

    San Siro is however reportedly looking at other options with Real Madrid ace Gareth Bale top on the list. Inter have given Conte the go ahead and talks is said to be progressing to get the former Tottenham man to San Siro.

    Bale has scored 102 goals and provided 64 assists in six years at the Bernabeu, winning four major trophies including three Champions League titles.

     

     

  • Isco, Bale get Zidane’s second coming off to winning start for Real Madrid

    Zinedine Zidane’s second spell as Real Madrid coach got off to a promising start with a 2-0 win at home to Celta Vigo in La Liga on Saturday.

    The two goals came thanks to goals from Isco and Gareth Bale, who had fallen out of favour with previous coach Santiago Solari.

    Spain midfielder Isco was handed his first start in the league since October by returning hero Zidane and broke the deadlock in the 62nd.

    He only had to tap in a low cross from Karim Benzema at close range.

    Luka Modric had a goal ruled out for offside earlier in the second half and Bale, who had struck the crossbar in the first period, sealed victory with a shot in off the post in the 77th minute.

    The goal further lifted the mood at the Santiago Bernabeu.

    Real are third in the league standings with 54 points after 28 games, two behind second-placed Atletico Madrid who visit Athletic Bilbao later on Saturday.

    They are nine points behind leaders Barcelona who play at Real Betis on Sunday.

    This was not quite as resounding a performance as the 5-0 win over Deportivo La Coruna in Zidane’s first game as Real coach in 2016.

    Yet it was still a therapeutic win for a team which had looked lost since the Frenchman announced his resignation after last year’s Champions League final.

    Zidane had said on his return that changes were needed at Madrid after haphazard results had seen Julen Lopetegui sacked in October.

    Lopetegui’s replacement Solari was also dismissed and the team was left with no trophies left to fight for this season.

    The Frenchman’s line-up showed he was serious as he brought back goalkeeper Keylor Navas, as well as Isco and Marcelo into the side.

    Read Also: Real Madrid reappoints Zidane as coach after sacking Solari

    Those were players who had all started in the Champions League final win over Liverpool but had been cast aside by Solari.

    Navas was called into action early to palm away a goal-bound header from Maxi Gomez, but Madrid had the better of the first half.

    They nearly took the lead when Bale smashed against the bar, while Sergio Ramos and Toni Kroos also came close.

    Madrid looked to have gone ahead when Modric’s shot bounced into the net.

    The goal was however ruled out after a pitchside Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review ruled Raphael Varane had been offside and obstructing Celta goalkeeper Ruben Blanco’s view.

    Isco soon brought a smile back to the Bernabeu faithful by guiding Benzema’s cross into the net after an impressive run by Marco Asensio.

    Much has been said about whether Zidane’s return could mean the end of Bale’s career in Madrid, but the Wales forward capped a strong display by sealing victory.

    He has now scored three goals in his last two games under Zidane and further adding to the celebratory mood

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  • Gareth Bale’s son in Champions League mood

     

    Does the name Axel Charles Bale (ACB) ring a bell?  May be yes, maybe not!Well, he is the son of Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale who was delivered this morning.

    The new arrival has not only arrived early enough ahead of the UEFA Champions League that will see Real Madrid take on Liverpool in the final in Kiev, but is already a Champions league mood with all dressed for the occasion.

    Gareth Bale announced the birth of his newborn son Axel Charles earlier today.

    The 28-year-old, who has two daughters – Alba Violet, five, and Nava Valentina, two – with long-term partner Emma Rhys-Jones, became a father for the third time on Tuesday morning.

    The Wales international took to Twitter to announce the exciting news with a heartwarming post.

    He wrote: ‘We are delighted to welcome a baby boy into our family this morning. Axel Charles Bale 08.05.18.’

    Bale uploaded a picture of his son with the post and looked like he had dressed him in an adorable Champions League-themed babygro as it was white with stars – similar to the logo.

    The former Tottenham star will be hoping with the support of his new baby son, to secure his third Champions League gong in succession with Real Madrid later this month against Liverpool.

    Bale has been used sparingly in this season’s Champions League with boss Zinedine Zidane preferring to use Isco and Marco Asensio.

    But the Welsh forward has given himself a good opportunity to claim a starting berth in Kiev after reminding everyone of his ability to deliver spectacular goals on big occasions at the weekend.

    Bale starred in a fiery El Clasico by scoring a late equaliser from just outside the box to earn Madrid a point after Cristiano Ronaldo had hobbled off at half-time with an injured ankle.

    The Portuguese star is due to have a scan on it this week but Zidane confirmed after the match it would not threaten his place in the final.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Golf loving Bale transforms garden into dream course

     

    Wales star Gareth Bale has finally finished transforming his back garden into homage to some of the most iconic holes in golf.

    In 2015 the Real Madrid ace, an avid golf fan, revealed he was embarking on a project that would see the 17th hole at Sawgrass, the ‘postage stamp’ 8th at Royal Troon and the fabled 12th at Augusta National recreated at his £4million home in the Vale of Glamorgan, south Wales.

    He enlisted the help of Southwest Greens, a company that specialise in the design and installation of state-of-the-art synthetic turf and lawns.

    UK-based architects James Edwards and Mark Ely drew up the holes and worked with Southwest Greens to provide the Welsh winger with the perfect practice facility.

    ‘I had a lovely bit of land here and it was something that I really wanted to do and I decided that I would love to make a dream come true and build a mini golf course in my house,’ Bale said.

    ‘I did my research online and I found Southwest Greens. I wanted a lot of low maintenance.

    ‘We came up with a big concept of what I wanted to do. We loved the idea of it and went from a plain piece of land to building what we have now.

    The par-three 17th TPC Sawgrass was one of the three holes painstakingly recreated in south Wales by top course designers.

    Bale is currently in Nanning, China, with Ryan Giggs’ Wales squad ahead of this week’s China Cup.

    The president of Southwest Greens, Kevin Holinaty, told WalesOnline exactly how the project came to fruition.

    ‘We worked with Gareth to decipher what his wishes were, being that he’s a keen golfer and like all of us that like to play the game, you have your favourite holes, you have your dream scenarios.

    ‘He came to us with that; James Edwards at EDI Golf Design was very much involved in that process. We came up with a design that we wanted to move forward with.

    Bale was keen to be involved from the beginning in all areas of the design, with meetings held in Madrid and Wales to fine tune the details. He asked the designers to fit the three holes on the site as sensitively as possible at their full length

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Bale to start in Saturday’s El Clasico

    Bale to start in Saturday’s El Clasico

     

    Real Madrid will pick Gareth Bale from the start against Barcelona if the forward feels he is fit, according to Spanish football expert Guillem Balague.

    Barcelona have perhaps unsurprisingly confirmed they will not be providing their fiercest rivals with a guard of honour ahead of the match this Saturday – following their Club World Cup triumph over Gremio in Abu Dhabi.

    But the Santiago Bernabeu could welcome the return of Bale, who played the final 10 minutes during the 1-0 victory over the Brazilian outfit at the weekend and has not played a league match since late September.

    Real boss Zinedine Zidane was impressed by the Wales international’s brief cameo upon his return from a calf problem, which followed his strike in the 2-1 win over Al Jazira Club in the semi-finals.

    Bale has endured an injury-ravaged campaign to date, and with Zidane again downplaying speculation that the forward will be sold before the start of next season, Balague would not be surprised if the 28-year-old played a starting role in the high noon encounter.

    Speaking on the La Liga Weekly podcast, he said: “I think it’s going to be Bale (who starts). If Bale feels that he’s fit, he’ll start. Not (Zinedine) Zidane, not Florentino (Perez).

    “Fit means that for an hour he can play at the level he has done for the last 10 or 12 minutes in the last two games which is possible if he feels confident.

    “If he feels that he is ready then he will start which will be a bit of a shock for some, especially for Isco I’d imagine.

    “He, of course, got injured when he tried to come back too quickly before for an El Clasico so that’ll make people think and they could give him even more time to recover.

    “If that’s what they’ll decide then fine, but if he says he’s fit then 100 per cent he’ll play.”

    Terry Gibson added: “In an ideal world, Bale would want three or four games before El Clasico. Isco’s the interesting one because in the last year quite rightly he’ll feel more important than he was, an established member of the starting team.

    “This will bring back memories of missing out on every big game Real Madrid had which led to him being restless so that’s a big decision for Zidane.”

     

     

  • Arsenal in shock move for Gareth Bale

    Arsenal in shock move for Gareth Bale

     

    Arsenal have made a surprise move for former Tottenham Hotspur attacker Gareth Bale, according to a report in the Spanish press Friday.

    The Welshman departed White Hart Lane for Real Madrid in 2013 for what was then a world-record transfer fee, but is now thought to be surplus to requirements at the Bernabeu and could be allowed to depart in the near future.

    Manchester United have long been linked with Bale and are said to be leading the race for his signature, but a report in Don Balon today suggests that the Gunners have made a move and that Bale is “considering it”.

    The 28-year-old is said to be “concerned about the rift caused by joining his former side’s great rivals but is also keen to return to London” after growing unhappy with life in the Spanish capital.

    Spurs are believed to have a clause in their contract for the sale of Bale that will allow them to match any offer for the player from a Premier League rival.

    Bale has made over 105 appearances for Madrid since joining the side in 2013 with 56 goals to his credit. At the National level Bale who played for Wales U-17, 19 and 21 before moving on to the senior national team in 2006, has been a regular with 68 caps and 26 goals. The thinking at the Emirates is that his addition will add to the strike force up front and ultimately improve Gunners performance.

    Arsenal secured top spot in Europa League Group H on Thursday despite slumping to a 1-0 defeat at Cologne.

    Wenger made 11 changes to the team that beat Tottenham Hotspur in last weekend’s north London derby, with starts handed to Olivier Giroud, Jack Wilshere and Danny Welbeck.

    But the Gunners succumbed to a 62nd-minute penalty from Sehrou Guirassy after the French striker tumbled to ground inside the area under a challenge from Mathieu Debuchy.

  • Zidane rules Bale Carvajal out of Las Palmas clash

    Zidane rules Bale Carvajal out of Las Palmas clash

     

    Gareth Bale and Dani Carvajal will not be included in Real Madrid’s squad to face Las

    Palmas as they continue to step up their recovery from injury and illness respectively, head coach Zinedine Zidane has confirmed.

    Bale suffered a calf injury in September and has missed seven games for Madrid and two World Cup qualifiers for Wales during that time, including the pivotal fixture against the Republic of Ireland in which the winger’s World Cup hopes went up in smoke.

    After training with the first team this week, there had been hope that Bale could return against Las Palmas on Sunday with Madrid having followed up a shock 2-1 LaLiga loss to Girona with a 3-1 reverse against Tottenham in the Champions League.

    But Bale, who Zidane confirmed will not go with Wales on international duty this month, and full-back Carvajal – who was ruled out indefinitely in September with a heart condition and trained this week – will not be risked.

    “We’re happy they’re both back in the fold, we need [Mateo] Kovacic to return hopefully next week [to have a fully fit squad],” he told a pre-match news conference.

    “As for Dani, things are normal now, the same for Gareth Bale. It was the second training session with the team for Gareth and Dani too, we’re happy to have them both back.

    “They won’t be in the squad. After Dani’s been out he’ll need time to recover, he’s going to be here, he’ll work and he’s going to train.

    “The same goes for Gareth, he’s not going to be named in the squad, he’s not going to go away on international duty, he’ll stay here. We want him to stay here to work with us and recover so he can be back soon.”

    It was put to Zidane that the timing of the international break may come at an ideal time with several players staying behind, including Cristiano Ronaldo who was not included by Portugal for matches with Saudi Arabia and United States.

    And the Frenchman says the players staying in Madrid have to use the time to put in the

    hard yards on the training ground.

    “It’s been non-stop [for Ronaldo], we’ll have 10-12 days, he can focus on resting and

    preparing for what’s ahead,” he added.

     

  • No return date yet for Gareth Bale-Zidane

    No return date yet for Gareth Bale-Zidane

     

    Zinedine Zidane refused to confirm if Gareth Bale will return to action for Real Madrid in  the Champions League clash against his former club Tottenham, although Dani Carvajal is back in training.

    Bale has been out for a month since suffering a calf injury in the Champions League win over Borussia Dortmund, in which he scored a stunning volley, and he missed Wales’ crucial World Cup qualifiers earlier this month, as they missed out on a ticket to Russia.

    Carvajal has been on the sidelines for even longer after the right-back was diagnosed with a viral infection that was affecting his pericardium, the membrane enclosing the heart, in September.

    While both players are on the comeback trail, neither will be fit enough to face Fuenlabrada in the Copa Del Rey on Thursday.

    “Dani is doing well,” Zidane told reporters on Wednesday. “He’s undergone tests and they’re positive.

    “Today he’s started to ride a bike and now his recovery will take time, but he’s healthy and I’m happy about that. He’ll have to go through the recovery process so let’s see.

    “Bale is already on the field, almost ready to train with the team, but I can’t give you a date for when he’ll be back.”

    Madrid travel to Wembley to play Spurs on November 1 in a match likely to decide which of the unbeaten teams claims top spot in Group H.

    First, Madrid play Girona in LaLiga on Sunday and tensions could run high considering the ongoing situation regarding the independence debate in Catalonia.

    Former Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola has extensively spoken out on the issue, but Zidane would not be drawn into a political discussion.

    “We are just going to play a game of football,” Zidane said. “We are going to have security there, as always. We just think about preparing for the game, not about what can happen outside.

    “Other coaches can talk about whatever they wish to. He [Guardiola] sees the chance to speak. But here [with the media] I just like to talk about football.”