Real making it tough for me to leave, blasts Bale Kenny is facing big call over Coleman and Doherty Page 37

GARETH Bale has accused Real Madrid of making things “very difficult” for him by blocking his departure from the Bernabeu.

Bale — who is contracted until June 2022 — has fallen out of favour under manager Zinedine Zidane and played just 48 minutes of Madrid’s 12 games when the Spanish season resumed after the coronavirus lockdown.

Zidane accused Bale of not wanting to play in the Champions League tie with Manchester City, but the Wales forward has hit back by saying Real have stopped him leaving Spain on various occasions.

Asked about his future, Bale — who almost joined Chinese Super League club Jiangsu Suning on a £1m-a-week three-year deal in 2019 — said: “I think the club needs to answer that question because I tried to leave last year. They blocked everything at the last second.

“It was a project I was excited for last year but it didn’t materialise. There’s been other instances where we’ve tried to go but the club won’t allow it or do something.

“So it’s on the club, I can’t really do anything. I have a contract.

“All I can do is carry on what I’m doing and hopefully something comes up.

“But as I said, it’s in the club’s hands. They make things very difficult to be honest.”

Bale has been linked with former club Tottenham and Manchester United, and said returning to the Premier League — which he left in 2013 for a then world record fee of £85.3m — would be an option.

He said: “If those options arise then I’d look at it for sure. We have plenty of time in this transfer window and I guess a couple of others as well. Time will tell.”

Bale is with the Wales squad on Nations League duty and will skipper Ryan Giggs’ side against Finland in Helsinki tonight.

“Whenever I come here I feel very happy, I feel very comfortable and welcomed,” he said.

“Whatever goes on at Madrid goes on at Madrid. It doesn’t really affect me, I’ve had plenty of experience to deal with it.

“Everyone knows how passionate I am to play for Wales and I come here excited to play football and motivated to do well.”