Zinedine Zidane Still Counts on Gareth Bale Despite Champions League Snub

Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane has said he can still "count on" Gareth Bale despite remaining on the bench during Wednesday's 2-1 victory over Bayern Munich in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League semi-final. 

Zidane started Lucas Vazquez in the role Bale usually plays, and then brought Marco Asensio and Karim Benzema on in the second half, intensifying suggestions the Wales international has fallen down the pecking order in Madrid. However, Zidane played down any rumours in his post-match comments, per Owen Fulda for the Daily Star.

Prior to the match Bale told German newspaper Bild (h/t The Independent) that "you can never rule out anything in football" when asked about a potential move to Bayern Munich, fueling speculation that his time at the Santiago Bernabeu could be coming to an end.

Zidane, however, did not suggest Bale's absence from the first 11 on Wednesday had anything to do with the speculation, although he did not appear certain that the Welshman would be in the squad for 2018-19.

JAVIER SORIANO/Getty Images

"I don't know what will happen," he said. "My substitutions, today it was Karim and Marco. It will be a factor for us all season and I have to choose, we have very good players. There are still matches left and I can count on Gareth. Those who say that I don't count on him don't tell the truth."

But the transfer stories persist, not least because Bale has so many rivals competing for a place in Zidane's starting lineup. The 28-year-old has only started 16 La Liga games this season, which makes him vulnerable to the "overhaul" expected to take place at Real this summer, per Dominic King and Pete Jenson for the Daily Mail.  

CHRISTOF STACHE/Getty Images

Reports in April suggested Bale and Zidane no longer have a good working relationship, per AS (h/t Football Espana), and although Zidane's latest comments contradict this, there have been plenty of transfer rumours suggesting Bale is on his way out. He has reportedly told Real he only wants to leave to join Manchester United, per Diario Gol (h/t Luke Gardener of the Daily Star).

Jose Mourinho described a move for Bale as "mission impossible" last summer, per Simon Peach for The Independent, but that may no longer be the case. It remains to be seen whether United's recent signing of Alexis Sanchez from Arsenal has shifted the club's stance on Bale.

For now, the Wales star will remain focused on the last few games of the 2017-18 season and hope Zidane will "count on" him in the weeks ahead. It is not out of the question that Bale could end the campaign with a starting spot in the Champions League final.