Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane has denied accusations he disrespected Gareth Bale in talking about the Welshman's potential transfer and claimed he refused to play in Saturday's friendly loss to Bayern Munich.
Bale, 30, is again unlikely to feature against Arsenal when Real continue their International Champions Cup campaign in Washington on Wednesday as the Spanish giants look to push through his transfer out of the club.
Speaking to reporters ahead of the match at FedEx Field - home of the NFL's Washington Redskins - Zidane said it was Bale who took himself out of contention for the 3-1 defeat to Bayern in Houston.
"At times my Spanish is very suspect," Zidane said. "I want to be very clear about this. Firstly, I have not disrespected anybody and least of all the player.
"I have always said the same, the players are the most important and every time I am with a player here I will be with them always.
"Second thing, I said the club is trying to sell him. Third point, I think it is very important and crucial to say that the other day Gareth did not change [play] because he did not want to.
"Gareth is a Real Madrid player. That is the most important thing, he is a player for the squad," he added.
Zidane's revelations following the 3-1 defeat to Bayern prompted a curt response from Bale's agent, Jonathan Barnett, who branded the Frenchman a "disgrace".
"Today, he is a Real Madrid player," Zidane said, adding that the striker would train with the team on Monday night.
It is the latest chapter in a catastrophic breakdown in the relationship between club and player.
Bale became the world's most expensive footballer when he moved to Madrid from Tottenham Hotspur in 2013 for £85 million (Dh389m).
Despite scoring over 100 goals and winning a host of trophies, including a La Liga, Copa del Rey and four Uefa Champions League titles, the Welsh forward has been marginalised since Zidane's return to the dugout in March. Bale played 90 minutes in just three of the remaining 11 matches of last season, was left out completely four times and frequently substituted when he did play.
He has also become the subject of boos from the Bernabeu faithful, who have long tired of his constant injuries and perceived failure to integrate into Spanish society.
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Gareth Bale's nine best moments at Real Madrid
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September 2013: Villarreal v Real Madrid – debut goal. After the start to his Real Madrid career was disrupted by injury, Gareth Bale scored his first goal for his new club against Villarreal in a La Liga game at El Madrigal Stadium. Getty -
November 2013: Real Madrid v Real Valldolid – the perfect hat-trick. Bale started to realise the demands of Real Madrid fans after being criticised for his display in the Clasico defeat to Barcelona in October. He responded by going on a red-hot run of goalscoring form, which included his first Madrid treble in a 4-0 win over Valladolid. It was a perfect hat-trick, too: left foot, right foot, header. Getty -
April 2014: Real Madrid v Barcelona - Copa del Rey final winner. The crowning moment of Bale’s debut season at Real Madrid. With the score level at 1-1, Bale scored one of the greatest goals in Spanish football history, burning Barcelona defender Marc Bartra for pace, sprinting half the pitch, before sliding the ball home for an 85th minute winner. Getty -
May 2014: Real Madrid v Atletico Madrid - Champions League final goal. Bale stepped up once again on the biggest of stages. After the Champions League final seemed to be heading to penalties, Bale scored to give Real Madrid a 2-1 lead in extra time. Real went on to win 4-1 and claim their 10th European Cup. Getty -
December 2014: Real Madrid v San Lorenzo - Club World Cup final goal. In a season blighted by more injury problems, Bale scored in his third major final for Real Madrid, netting the second in a 2-0 win over San Lorenzo to win the Fifa Club World Cup. Getty -
December 2015: Real Madrid v Rayo Vallecano - four-goal haul. Bale produced the most prolific performance of his Real Madrid career when he scored four goals in a 10-2 thrashing of Rayo Vallecano in La Liga. Three weeks later, he scored another hat-trick in a 5-0 win over Deportivo. Getty -
May 2018: Real Madrid v Liverpool - Champions League final match-winner. Bale was finding himself increasingly marginalised by Zidane and was among the substitutes for the Champions League final against Liverpool. Called off the bench with the score at 1-1, Bale scored one of the greatest goals in Champions League history with a spectacular overhead kick. He scored again to steer Madrid to a 3-1 win and their third successive European Cup. Getty -
December 2018: Fifa Club World Cup - player of the tournament. After the exit of Zidane, Bale resumed a more important role under eventual successor Santiago Solari and was central to Madrid’s Club World Cup triumph in Abu Dhabi. He scored a hat-trick in the semi-final against Kashima Antlers before Madrid beat Al Ain in the final. He was named player of the tournament. Getty -
February 2019: Atletico Madrid v Real Madrid - 100th goal. On February 9, 2019 Bale became just the 15th player in Real Madrid’s history to score 100 goals for the club when he struck in a 3-1 win away to city rivals Atletico. Bale has since moved on to 102 goals, placing him 14th on Madrid’s all-time list. Getty
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While the impasse over Bale's future rumbles on, one Real Madrid player seemingly headed towards the exit door is 22-year-old midfielder Dani Ceballos, who is set to join Wednesday's opponents Arsenal on a season-long loan.
The Gunners have yet to make a marquee signing in this transfer window, but Emery spoke glowingly of his compatriot ahead of Wednesday's match.
"We are speaking about the possibility to sign one player, Emery said. "We have different names and the club is working on that.
"Ceballos is a very good player. I know him from [Real] Betis at the beginning and Real Madrid," he added of Ceballos, who started out at Betis before moving to Madrid in 2017.
"He played very well in the Under 21s [for Spain], his national team won the [2019 European Championship] competition. He can play as a No 8 or a No 10."
