BALE’S REAL TEAMMATE QUESTIONS WALES CALL
REAL Madrid star Toni Kroos has questioned Gareth Bale for his involvement in Wales’ crucial Euro 2020 qualifiers later this month.
In comments which will further fuel the club vs country debate surrounding the Welshman, Kroos says it is “inconvenient” for Bale to play for Wales but not for his club.
Bale has been on the sidelines since picking up a knock during Wales’ last international match, their 1-1 draw with Croatia last month.
He has not played for Real since and on Friday was left out of their squad for weekend La Liga clash with Eibar.
Just days earlier, Wales boss Ryan Giggs said he fully expects Bale to be fit for the vital double-header against Azerbaijan and Hungary.
“I’m in constant contact with him and he feels confident that he’ll be fit,” said Giggs when unveiling his squad for Wales’ must-win matches in their bid to make the Euro 2020 finals.
But Real boss Zinedine Zidane doesn’t deem Bale fit enough to play against Eibar and clearly conversations will need to take place between the medics of Wales and Madrid, with midfielder James Rodriguez also missing the weekend clash ahead of his call-up to the Colombia squad.
“They will go with the international teams and then have five or six days to see if they are prepared to play with the teams or not,” he said.
Kroos’ comments won’t have helped matters, but he didn’t hold back when asked for his views on Bale.
“It is a little inconvenient when you go to your national team, then you do not play for your club,” Real’s German midfielder had said earlier.
“After that, you are fit to play for your national team again.
“Maybe this is not the best time. I hope everything is OK when he comes back.”
Kroos revealed his thoughts on Bale’s situation in the Spanish capital, with the rapport with boss Zidane still frosty after a summer of speculation ended in an aborted move to China.
Kroos said: “He was already about to leave the club in the summer.
“After these types of things, where they both [club and player] seem to have moved on, it is difficult to return to normality.
“Taking that into account, I have got the impression that he is motivated and has also had a few notable performances.”