Zinedine Zidane has said Gareth Bale told him he did not want to play for Real Madrid against Manchester City in the Champions League last 16 on Friday.
But Zidane said
Eden Hazard is fit to face City, despite concerns regarding the Belgian’s right
ankle.
Bale was left out
of the squad and has not travelled to Manchester, where Madrid are aiming to
overturn a 2-1 deficit from the first leg in February to reach the
quarter-finals.
Sources close to
Bale claim he told Zidane he did not want to travel, after finding out he was
not included in the squad, but was ready to play.
“There is a
relationship of respect between player and coach,” Zidane said in a press
conference on Thursday.
“He preferred not
to play, nothing more, and the rest is between me and him.”
Zidane said it was
a personal decision rather than a technical one but would not be drawn on
details, insisting “there are things that have to stay in the changing room”.
Bale’s omission
adds another low point to a turbulent season for the Welshman, who only started
one of Madrid’s last 11 matches after La Liga resumed in March.
Asked about Bale’s
future at Real Madrid, Zidane said: “Gareth Bale is a Real Madrid player,
nothing has changed and I respect him like everyone else.”
Zidane had more
positive news regarding Hazard, whom he says is fit to face City, despite
feeling pain in his troublesome right ankle last month.
“He had some
problems at the end of La Liga but now he is much better and we have had a lot
of time to prepare for this match,” said Zidane.
“I think he’s fine
and feels confident.”
Hazard underwent
surgery in March on his ankle but still had his minutes managed during the
run-in.
“Playing every two
or three days made it difficult for him to recover,” said Zidane. “But he is
fine now and shouldn’t be playing with discomfort.”
Madrid will be
without their captain Sergio Ramos against City, who will start the match as
favourites to progress.
“We have a
disadvantage,” Zidane said. “But we know tomorrow is another game and that
knock-out games aren’t over until the last minute.”