LA VIDA LOCA
Bale nicknamed ‘The Golfer’ by Madrid team-mates and missed team dinner to go to bed early, blasts Courtois
THIBAUT COURTOIS has called out Gareth Bale for not fitting in at Real Madrid.
The Welshman has come under increasing scrutiny this season amid reports he is set to leave the Bernabeu this summer.
3
And Courtois claimed Bale, 29, has been dubbed "The Golfer" by his team-mates before criticising his early bed time.
Speaking to Belgian newspaper HLN, the ex-Chelsea stopper said: "It is very hard to describe Gareth in one word.
"I would say he has so much talent, but that it is such a shame that so often that talent is blocked from shining.
"I live like somebody who is born and bred in Madrid. I eat late, I go bed late... it is their way of life.
Zinedine Zidane reveals Gareth Bale is ‘very close to leaving’ Real Madrid
3
3
"The other night we had a dinner with the entire squad.
"But Bale and (Toni) Kroos did not turn up. They reckoned the dinner was too late at night.
"We had arranged to be in the restaurant at 9.30pm and we started out meal around 10.15pm and by midnight we were having coffee.
"We go to bed at around 1am. We have to train every morning at 11am. I think that is a perfect time.
"But Bale had told us 'I am not coming to join you, guys. I go to bed at 11'."
Gareth Bale appears ’cut off' from rest of his team-mates as Real Madrid head out for Canada pre-season tour
Latest Real Madrid news
Marcelo has also questioned how well golf-mad Bale - who has lived in Spain for six years - is fitting in at Real publicly.
He said: "Bale does not speak [Spanish] as he only speaks English and we talk with gestures."
Bale has been in and out of the Real team recently and his rude celebration after scoring against Atletico Madrid is being investigated by La Liga.
It's understood he regularly returns to his mansion in Wales when he has time off rather than staying in Spain.
When there, he can play on the specially designed three-hole golf course in his back garden.
Topics