SM
Barcelona vs. Brann: 2 hrs 50 mins
Upcoming predictions and previews
Collect News Data

Gareth Bale plans to return to Real Madrid in summer

:Headline: Gareth Bale plans to return to Real Madrid in summer:
The 31-year-old has another 12 months on his Real contract at the end of this season.
Sports Mole

Gareth Bale plans to end his Tottenham stay at the end of the season and return to Real Madrid.

Wales captain Bale joined Spurs on loan in September and has had a mixed season with form and fitness issues dominating his second spell in north London.

The 31-year-old’s Madrid contract runs until the end of the 2021-22 season.

Gareth Bale (centre) training with the Wales squad ahead of their opening World Cup qualifier in Belgium (David Davies/PA)

“There’s no distraction for me,” Bale told a press conference ahead of Wales’ opening 2022 World Cup qualifier in Belgium.

“I think the main reason I came to Spurs this year was to play football first and foremost.

“Going into the Euros I wanted to be match-fit. The original plan was to do a season at Spurs and after the Euros still have a year left at Real Madrid.

“My plan is to go back, that’s as far I have planned.”

Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho said earlier this month that Bale’s future was in the hands of Real Madrid (Neil Hall/PA)

Spurs manager Jose Mourinho said earlier this month that Bale’s future beyond the end of the season was a matter for Real.

Mourinho appeared to question Bale’s attitude after Tottenham’s FA Cup defeat to Everton in February, the Portuguese admitting he was surprised the player asked for a scan on an injury he described as “not obvious”.

But Bale then enjoyed a first-team resurgence, scoring six goals in six games before Spurs’ season took a turn for the worse with a derby defeat to Arsenal and a Europa League exit at the hands of Dinamo Zagreb.

Bale was benched for the 3-0 defeat in Croatia and the 2-0 Premier League win at Aston Villa on Sunday.

“The original plan was to do a season at Spurs and after the Euros still have a year left at Real Madrid. My plan is to go back, that's as far I have planned.”
- Gareth Bale

On arriving fresh for international duty, Bale said: “Over the last few years this is probably the most match fitness I’ve had.

“I’m feeling fresh and ready to go. I always think when things aren’t going too well at a club, it’s nice to get away, especially mentally, get away from the club environment.

“Definitely it can be a benefit. We focus on these games for Wales, which are very important for us.

“We forget club life and concentrate on this.”

Wales open their World Cup qualifying campaign against Belgium in Leuven on Wednesday before hosting the Czech Republic on Tuesday.

Bale has never played at a World Cup finals and admits he would swap one of his four Champions League winners’ medals to grace that stage at Qatar 2022.

“Obviously, realistically that’s not going to happen,” Bale said when that scenario was put to him. “But why not?

“I remember playing Ireland (in 2018 World Cup qualification). I was up in the stands and it was very frustrating, I felt like I was kicking every ball.

Gareth Bale was injured and a frustrated spectator when Wales’ 2018 World Cup qualification hopes were ended by defeat to the Republic of Ireland (Nick Potts/PA)

“It was obviously difficult after the game to have the loss and the dream of World Cup qualifying end.

“Hopefully we can draw on those experiences in a positive way and use that hurt to push us even harder this time around.

“It might be the last time my generation has the opportunity to qualify for a World Cup.

“We haven’t done that as a country for a long time and it’s something that the players dream of doing. We’ll give everything we can to do that.”

Wales will be without defenders Ben Davies and Tom Lockyer for their opening two World Cup qualifiers, as well as Saturday’s Cardiff friendly with Mexico.

A Football Association of Wales statement said: “Ben Davies and Tom Lockyer have both withdrawn from the squad due to injury.”

The loss of the 58-times capped Davies will be particularly felt by caretaker manager Robert Page, who described his absence as “significant”.

Lockyer’s absence is less surprising as the Hatters defender has not played since sustaining an ankle injury against Cardiff last month.

body check tags ::

amp_article__440409 : Collect and Make Data not in DataBase  : 
last updated article - 2021-03-23 14:14:50:
html db last update - 2021-03-23 13:36:43 :

ex - 7200 : read : write cache and make html

Gareth Bale future - Click here for more stories

Click here for more stories about Gareth Bale

Click here for more stories about Tottenham Hotspur

Share this article now:


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!
Read more about Gareth Bale Football
Follow @SportsMole for the latest breaking news stories, and follow @sm_headlines to get every headline from Sports Mole
Recommended Next on SM
Pochettino calls for "calm" over Sterling situation at Chelsea
Chelsea face five fresh fitness concerns ahead of Burnley game
Man Utd 'angered by midfielder's loan situation'

Page options

Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Arsenal28204470244664
2Liverpool28197265263964
3Manchester CityMan City28196363283563
4Aston Villa29175760421856
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs28165759421753
6Manchester UnitedMan Utd28152113939047
7West Ham UnitedWest Ham2912894650-444
8Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton2811985044642
9Wolverhampton WanderersWolves28125114244-241
10Newcastle UnitedNewcastle281241259481140
11Chelsea27116104745239
12Fulham29115134344-138
13Bournemouth2898114152-1135
14Crystal Palace2878133348-1529
15Brentford2975174154-1326
16Everton2887132939-1025
17Luton TownLuton2957174260-1822
18Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest2967163551-1621
19Burnley2945202963-3417
20Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd2835202474-5014
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.

history www

Preview: Brentford vs. Man Utd - prediction, team news, lineups

1

PB

How Man United could line up against Brentford

2

HM

Preview: Chelsea vs. Burnley - prediction, team news, lineups

NEW

3

PC

Chelsea face five fresh fitness concerns ahead of Burnley game

NEW

4

CF

Arsenal 'draw up 10-man striker shortlist'

5

A'

Real Madrid injury, suspension list vs. Athletic

6

RM

Preview: Spurs vs. Luton - prediction, team news, lineups

7

PS

Arsenal injury, suspension list vs. Man City - Saka, Gabriel

8

AI

England attacking duo 'in danger of missing out on Euro 2024'

9

EA

Preview: Nijmegen vs. PSV - prediction, team news, lineups

10

PN


. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .