Gareth Bale has hit back at his critics and has broken his silence on his difficult summer at Real Madrid.
Bale had been made an outcast by manager Zinedine Zidane and he looked set for a big-money move to China, only for the deal to collapse at the last minute.
The Wales captain dismissed it as being the most difficult time of his career by saying he recalled ‘not playing for a year under Harry Redknapp’ at Tottenham.
“It didn’t impact on me too much,” said Bale, speaking about his summer of uncertainty in Madrid.
“I don’t listen to them (the critics) because they don’t really know what they are on about. I know most people don’t know the situation, don’t understand the situation.
“Coming back to pre-season, I just kept my head down and worked hard in training. I feel good, probably stronger than ever at the moment.
“The things that happened will stay private with the club. If you want answers, maybe you need to ask Real Madrid.”
Bale, speaking ahead of Wales’ Euro 2020 qualifier at home to Azerbaijan, was frozen out by Real manager Zinedine Zidane at the end of last season.
The situation came to a head in July when Zidane said he hoped a deal for Bale could be struck soon ‘for everyone’s sake’, prompting an angry response from the Welshman’s agent Jonathan Barnett who labelled the Frenchman ‘a disgrace’.
The planned move to Chinese club Jiangsu Suning collapsed and Barnett said there would be ‘no makeshift deals’ to get Bale out of Madrid.
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Following injuries to Eden Hazard and Marco Asensio, Bale has started Real’s opening three league games and, on Sunday, he scored his first goals since March 16 with a brace in the 2-2 draw at Villarreal.
“It’s not been ideal, but I have been here before,” Bale said. “I know how to deal with it.
“But I wouldn’t say it’s the worst time of my career. I remember not playing for a year under Harry Redknapp.
“I have kept my head down, kept grinding through everything.
“I had a good pre-season in terms of training – not so much in games – then started the season well. Things in football, I know, can turn quickly. It’s a matter of time always.”
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