The question in Premier League and LaLiga fans minds is whether Gareth Bale\u2019s really heading back to play for Los Blancos again during the final year of his contract, during 2021\/22? Interestingly, that was the rumor stirring up immediately after football\u2019s Italian godfather Carlo Ancelotti\u2019s spectacular return to Real Madrid.<\/p>\n
Having finally departed the Spanish capital last summer to return on loan to Tottenham, it seemed that Bale made his last outing at Real Madrid. Now, after a good end to the season with Spurs and strong showings for Wales at Euro 2020 have demonstrated that there is still plenty of football left in the Welshman, the question is whether Bale can keep it up for a return spell at Los Blancos under his former boss Ancelloti. If he\u2019s still has the motivation and the energy, that is.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s only logical to assume that Real Madrid might as well keep Bale in the squad for 2021\/22, considering they\u2019d be paying the bulk of his wages anyway if he goes out on loan.<\/p>\n
Also the situation in the dugout has changed. The previous boss Zinedine Zidane didn\u2019t want to have anything to do with Bale at the club any more, even famously saying during the 2019 pre-season tour that \u201cif Bale can leave tomorrow then that\u2019d be better for everyone\u201d.<\/p>\n
Carlos Ancelotti however is a different kettle of fish who thinks differently. It was actually the Italian tactician who brought up the topic of Bale during his Real Madrid introductory press conference at the start of June. Asked about the current squad, he name-dropped Bale twice without even being specifically asked about the forward.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cThere\u2019s a mix of players with experience, like Kroos, Modri\u0107, Ramos, Bale and Benzema. Then there are some very young players with a lot of quality like Vin\u00edcius, Rodyrgo and Valverde. There were even some players loaned out like Bale, \u00d8degaard and Ceballos and, even still, this Real Madrid side reached the Champions League semis and fought for LaLiga.\u201d<\/p>\n
Then, when the legendary Italian was asked for more specific thoughts on the player he previously coached between 2013 and 2015, he said: \u201cGareth didn\u2019t play a lot [last season]. He didn\u2019t have a lot of time back in the Premier League. But, he scored a lot of goals, especially in the last few matches. I know him very well and I think he has the motivation to play as well as possible. He could have a very good season. I have no doubts about that.\u201d<\/p>\n
That goes on record as a massive vote of confidence in Bale. Although Ancelotti is mindful and sensitive enough to know better than to put down the value of a player currently on your club\u2019s books, it is also likely that the new coach was just trying to put Bale in the shop window for another club to make an offer. And, then again, Ancelotti could actually see Bale as being a serious part of his plans for the new season.<\/p>\n
After all, they worked so well together the first time, as Bale enjoyed his best years under the Italian. Both Bale and Ancelotti arrived together at the Bernab\u00e9u in the summer of 2013, achieving success in that first year as Bale scored the winning goals in the Copa del Rey and Champions League finals of that 2013\/14 campaign.<\/p>\n
Under Ancelotti, Bale scored 39 goals and assisted 31 more for a total of 70 direct goal contributions in 92 matches and 7,367 minutes. That worked out to a rate of one direct goal contribution every 105 minutes.<\/p>\n
This was 24-year-old Bale who will turn 32 on July 16th, just three days before he and the other players who exited Euro 2020 in the last 16 are set to join Ancelotti for pre-season training at Valdebebas.<\/p>\n
While the Welshman\u2019s future remains a mystery, he should be there for the summer workouts as no move away is likely to have been finalised by then. If so, this means that Ancelotti and Bale will have the chance to work together again, when the Italian and, perhaps more importantly, Antonio Pintus will be able to put the player through his paces to see what he can still offer at the age of 32.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know Ancelotti is a great manager and I get on with him really well, as we had some great times in the past,\u201d Bale has said of the new Real Madrid coach this summer, dangling his own hint that he might stay. \u201cHe is a great guy. We had a great time together at Real Madrid and I\u2019m sure he\u2019s going to be amazing.\u201d<\/p>\n
We\u2019ll soon know if Bale will take up one of the precious 25 first-team squad places that Real Madrid have available for next season.<\/p>\n
Although some may opt to think that\u2019s highly unlikely to happen, one can never say never in life, especially in the topsy-turvy world of football. It would perhaps be best now to remember at this juncture Zidane\u2019s thought some time back that Bale might leave \u201ctomorrow\u201d during that tour in the USA.<\/p>\n
That was more than 710 days ago and Gareth Bale is still on the Real Madrid payroll.<\/p>\n
And what more now that the controversial Welshman has rediscovered his Italian connection.<\/p>\n
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