What’s the story?
In a shocking revelation, Spanish news outlet Don Balon has claimed that Welsh star Gareth Bale is fed up of playing second fiddle to Cristiano Ronaldo and has requested the Real Madrid hierarchy to build the future of the club around him.
Despite being crowned the world’s costliest player, when he switched London for Madrid, Bale has had to live in Ronaldo’s shadow as the Portuguese superstar continues to enthral millions worldwide.
In case you didn’t know...
A product of the famed Southampton academy, Bale rose to prominence at Tottenham Hotspur and joined Real Madrid in the summer of 2013. After struggling for form in the initial stages of his tenure with the Spanish giants, the 27-year-old finally rose to the occasion during the end of his first season at the club and fired them to their 10th Champions League title win.
He was also part of their UEFA Champions League-winning campaign last season.
The heart of the matter
Like many other footballers, Bale is not satisfied with what he has achieved thus far in his career. He wants to further his credentials as one of the finest attackers to have graced the game and has set his sights on the captaincy in the near future.
However, that is easier said than done since the presence of Cristiano Ronaldo often pushes him down in the pecking order at the club. This season, the Welshman has suffered further as injuries have resulted in reduced playing time and a return of 7 goals and 3 assists do not make for good reading, given his credentials as an attacker.
Also read: Five reasons why we love Gareth Bale
Ronaldo, on the other hand, has played a major role in Madrid’s climb to the top of the La Liga table and with 15 goals and 6 assists in 22 appearances. It is hard to fathom what makes the Welshman think he could become the main man at the club ahead of the Portuguese.
What’s next?
The news that Bale remains unsettled at Real Madrid must please the hierarchy at several English clubs including the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea. The duo have been after the Welshman for quite some time now and given their financial resources, would not be too worried about splashing the cash for the former Premier League star, should they be presented with an opportunity.
Should Real Madrid fail to honour his request, it could lead to the Welshman leaving the glamorous shores of Spain and given Ronaldo’s reputation and importantly, his form, the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United could start mobilising funds to make the transfer happen at the opportune moment.
Sportskeeda’s Take
While Bale is one of the finest footballers in the world, he is no Cristiano Ronaldo and it is as simple as that. The Portuguese continues to score goals by the bagful and is probably the face of the club at the moment and hence cannot be replaced.
We deem the Welshman’s demands, if true, to be unrealistic, and would not be surprised if he does move come the end of the season, for a more central role at another big club.
