Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane predicted more “big moments” are ahead for Gareth Bale ahead of Sunday’s derbi at home to Atletico Madrid.
Wales international Bale remained on the bench for the 90 minutes of Tuesday’s 3-0 Champions League quarterfinal first-leg win at Juventus, with wingers Lucas Vazquez and Marco Asensio sent on instead.
The former Tottenham star has again been linked with a return to the Premier League, with Manchester United a potential destination.
But with Bale expected to return to the lineup on Sunday, Zidane said it was understandable for him not to be happy about his situation.
“That is normal as players want to play all the games,” he said. “We know the player he is, what he has done.
“I must take decisions, but it does not mean Gareth cannot be important in big moments in the future.
“We have another game tomorrow — Gareth is ready, as they all are. Regardless of how the rest of the season goes, Gareth is a Madrid player and my feeling is he will stay here.
“But I cannot say for sure what will happen, with my own future or the players’, as always.”
With eight games remaining, Madrid are third in La Liga, four points behind second-placed Atletico and 13 adrift of leaders Barcelona.
With a third successive Champions League trophy now the main priority, Zidane is expected to make a number of changes for the derbi, with Spain under-21 international Jesus Vallejo deputising for Raphael Varane at centre-back.
“Our obligation is to give everything in all games and aim for as many points as possible,” Zidane said. “Tomorrow is very important — we must show we want to win and get the points.
“Atletico deserve to be in second, but we can cut the distance and we will try and do that. Everybody thinks La Liga is over already, but we cannot know that. We must keep giving everything in all games.
“We will go out as always, to go for the game. We cannot sit back or try and play any other way. We are up against a very good team, we know that, defensively and in attack. It will be a good game, and our intensity is very important.”
Real beating Atletico would increase the possibility of Barcelona being mathematically sure of the title by May 6, when they meet Madrid in a Clasico at the Camp Nou.
But Zidane said such thoughts were not in his mind and ruled out his team giving them a traditional pasillo welcome onto the pitch if they have lifted the crown.
“We just focus on tomorrow’s game and think just about the three points,” he said. “We’re not going to do a pasillo. That is my decision, just that.
“Barca broke the [tradition], so it does not exist any more.”
Dermot Corrigan is a Madrid-based football writer who covers La Liga and the Spain national team for ESPN FC. Follow him on Twitter @dermotmcorrigan
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