Decision time for Zidane as Bale awaits chance for reconciliation

Gareth Bale's relationship with Zinedine Zidane will come to a crossroads when Real Madrid play Liverpool in the Champions League final on Saturday.

The pair have not seen eye-to-eye for some time, ever since Zidane jettisoned the Welshman for Real's last 16 first leg game at home to Paris Saint-Germain in February.

With their La Liga challenge all but over, Zidane's reputation hinged on a run in Europe and dropping Bale delivered a resounding message about a lack of trust when it mattered most.

But breaking point arrived in April, in the quarter-finals, in the second leg at home to Juventus. Bale had scored three goals in his previous three games, six in five including matches for Wales, and he was rewarded with a start at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Zidane, however, hauled him off at half-time, with Real trailing Juve 2-0. At best, it seemed the Frenchman was apportioning blame to Bale. At worst, it seemed like punishment by public humiliation.

"It was not to punish Gareth but something had to change," Zidane said after the match. "I was not happy with the approach." Bale felt harshly treated, he became noticeably down around the squad and his intensity dropped in training. Sources told AFP that Bale and Zidane were barely on speaking terms around this period.

Three days after Real scraped past Juventus, via Cristiano Ronaldo's last-gasp penalty, they faced a lengthy trip to Malaga and several key players, including Bale, were left out.

Real insisted they were rested but while the likes of Ronaldo, Toni Kroos, Luka Modric and Marcelo returned for the weekend's game against Athletic Bilbao, Bale again found himself sat on the bench.

By the time he had been overlooked for both semi-final legs against Bayern Munich, the 28-year-old had started only one of his last five matches.

- 'I've been in good form' -
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