05 August 2020

Gareth Bale missing from Real Madrid’s squad to face Manchester City

05 August 2020

Gareth Bale has not been included in Real Madrid’s squad for Friday’s Champions League clash against Manchester City.

Real trail 2-1 after the first leg of their last-16 tie and Bale will not be making the trip for the return at the Etihad Stadium.

The Spanish champions have announced their 24-man squad on Twitter and Bale’s omission is the latest sign of the breakdown in his relations with head coach Zinedine Zidane.

Bale has become an increasingly peripheral figure at the Bernabeu and played no part in Real’s final match at Leganes last month.

The 31-year-old last appeared for Real in a 2-0 home win against Real Mallorca in June.

He has appeared indifferent to the stand-off between himself and the club through his touchline antics, which included pretending to be asleep while on the bench for a recent game against Alaves.

Bale, who is contracted until 2022, has won the Champions League four times since joining Real from Tottenham in an £85.3million deal seven years ago.

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