Gareth Bale’s future at Real Madrid is assured after new coach Zinedine Zidane praised the Welsh winger.
Bale joined Real two-and-a-half years ago for a world record transfer fee but has struggled at times in the Spanish capital.
Despite renewed interest from Manchester United, the 26-year-old was thriving at Real under Rafael Benitez and Zidane moved quickly to reassure Bale that the former Chelsea and Liverpool manager’s sacking would not affect the Welshman.
“I can understand that he might feel aggrieved by Benitez’s departure but I will show him the same affection that he had from Rafa,” said Zidane at his first press conference as Real coach, just a day after being appointed by president Florentino Perez.
“He’s a vital player for the team.”
Zidane, a former star player with Real whose stunning winning goal against Bayer Leverkusen earnt the club the 2002 Champions League, played down comparisons between himself and Pep Guardiola, the former Barcelona coach.
Guardiola was also a star player in the Catalan capital before becoming their most successful coach ever during a trophy-laden four-year spell in charge at the Camp Nou.
“Guardiola is Guardiola, he’s an incredible coach but I’m not going to compare myself to him,” said the 43-year-old Frenchman.
“You can’t do the same thing as another coach, I must do Zidane.”
Earlier in the day, thousands of fans had turned out to watch Zidane take his first training session with Real’s current ‘galacticos’, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Bale and Karim Benzema.
Zidane is tasked with lifting the club out of its year-long slump that has seen them burn through two Champions League-winning coaches Benitez and Carlo Ancelotti.
They are in third place in La Liga, four points behind leaders Atletico Madrid and two points behind eternal rivals Barcelona, who have a game in hand.
All eyes will now be on whether Zidane has the temperament and tactical ability to gel Madrid’s ‘Galacticos’ into a trophy-winning unit.
