As Real Madrid bled against Barcelona last weekend and desperately cried out for someone who could score a goal or come up with something, Gareth Bale sat calm and relaxed on the bench, aware that he was the last man Carlo Ancelotti would ask for help.The Italian could have had ten strikers on the bench and nine substitutions, but Bale would be the one too many who will not get a chance. He has not been on the pitch since that match at Parc des Princes against Paris Saint-Germain. With around 16.5 million USD net per year, he is the highest-paid player of the club, but youngsters from the Real Madrid Castilla academy have a better status than him in the first team. He is slowly counting the last months in Madrid and will not cut them any slack for one single dollar. The Welshman is waiting for his contract to expire in July when he will put an end to a story that will definitely be remembered.02.04. Sat 20:30: (4.10) Celta (3.45) Real Madrid (1.92)Scissor-kick goal in the Champions League final against Liverpool, the humiliation of Marc Bartra in Copa del Rey final, the leading goal in the Champions League final against Atletico, hat-trick in the semifinals of the Club World Cup, a master volley against Borussia Dortmund, free-kick against Galatasaray… Just some of the shrine-worthy goals and performances that Bale had at Real Madrid. As the most expensive signing in the history of the club, it would be a shame to say that Bale is Real Madrid’s failure, regardless of how it all looks at the moment. The most glorious era of Real Madrid in this century is heavily influenced by the trio made of Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema – the famous BBC – which won Real Los Blancos as many as four European titles.Gareth Bale vs Austria — 24/03/22. pic.twitter.com/9EtOY1TQ5a— Stop That Bale (@StopThatBale) March 24, 2022 Yes, there were injuries. Fifteen different ones, because of which he missed about 70 games in the first five years in Madrid. But he gave much more than he cost Real Madrid. And then – in the summer of 2019, the Royal Club and Zinedine Zidane decided to ‘expel’ him from the club with all their might. They pressured him to leave, pushed him to China, asked for him to go on loans… And he refused all of that. He became a reserve, then agreed to spend a year on loan at Tottenham, and when he returned to do the last year of his contract, he burned all the bridges with Real Madrid. He showed that he doesn’t care what the club, Madrid and Spain think of him.In the last two and a half years, there have been mysterious injuries due to which he became one of the most hated men in Madrid. There were cases where he was not ready to play a weekend match for Real Madrid, and a few days later he exploded playing for the Wales national team. It has been a constant – Bale would spread his wings with Wales and spit fire like that dragon on the Welsh flag.In Madrid, it only caused additional frustration – ‘how can he be so good there, but here he is always missing something?’He infuriated them so much that they no longer chose words and means to humiliate him. Yesterday, the Spanish outlet (stationed in Madrid), Marca – came out with an article in which Bale is presented as a parasite and a caricature in which he sucks blood (in translation, money) from Real Madrid like an insect.Marca: ‘The Welsh parasite’Bale: Bangs in 2 belters to send Wales to a World Cup final playoff. Bale after the game: ‘It’s disgusting, they should be ashamed of themselves.’Quite the day. Think we can agree on who had the last laugh 🏴 Great win Wales! pic.twitter.com/Ift3SYOvaV— Brendy Boyle (@BrendyBoyle) March 24, 2022 His response on the pitch was incredible. He brought Austria to their knees with two beautiful goals and announced that he was far from a “former player” or a “golfer” as he is ridiculed in Spain. When the journalist asked him after the match if his goal celebrations (pointing a finger at the coat of arms of Wales) were some kind of message to Madrid on the accusations that he was a parasite, he answered through a tiny smirk.”Honestly, there is no need to send any messages to anyone. I don’t want to waste time on those things. What they are doing is disgusting and they should be ashamed,” Bale said with a smile.For a long time, football players became primarily club property, and only then soldiers of their national team. There are rare examples of players for whom playing in the national team shirt means more than playing for the club that pays them. And it is almost unnoticed that a small national team like Wales is more important to someone than the biggest club in the world.Gareth Bale and Real Madrid are a story that will always be interpreted from different angles as it suits, but it is definitely an unforgettable story that could have ended better. He will be remembered more as the Prince of Wales than as the King of Madrid.
