Real Madrid star Alvaro Odriozola has defended Gareth Bale from the recent criticism he has recieved from his teammates. The Welsh international was criticised by Marcelo over his inability to speak Spanish despite being in Spain for the last six years.
He also came in for criticism from former Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois who said the former Spur player is a loner who doesn’t attend team parties.
However. Alvaro Odriozola has now come in to defend the Welsh man, saying he finds him nice and he has never had an issue with him. He also dimissed the notion he can’t speak Spanish though he admitted the 27 year old is always shy to speak it.
“He looks good to me. Against Celta he played a great game. He worked hard, he is very motivated. He knows Spanish perfectly, the thing is that he is too shy to use it, which seems normal to me. I speak with him in Spanish and English, without distinction.
And I see that his commitment to the club is total. He is a Madrid fanatic and he has given everything for the club. He is a great player, I don’t need to say it. The pace, the power. And his precision in front of goal. I like him a lot.”
Bale, 29, has, on the face of it, been a huge success since moving to Real from Spurs for £85 million in 2013. He has won La Liga once, a Copa del Rey, four UEFA Champions Leagues and netted 78 goals in 148 league appearances for the club.
However, there is still the overwhelming sense that the forward has been a disappointment at the club, and he has never been a fan favourite. One of the key frustrations has been his ongoing injury problems, which have plagued him almost since the moment he moved to Madrid.
Odriozola said Bale cannot be blamed for his fitness issues, per La Galerna (h/t Goal): “Nobody can choose that. There are players who are more susceptible to injury, others less so. But he works so hard in the gym. He takes great care of himself.”
Zinedine Zidane’s return as manager could have a major impact on Bale’s future. He was not a regular starter last season under the Frenchman, and he said after coming off the bench to win Real the 2018 UEFA Champions League final in May that he would have to consider his future if that continued.
Bale started Zidane’s first game back in charge against Celta Vigo and scored Real’s second in a 2-0 win. However, Lucas Vazquez and Vinicius Jr. were both sidelined for that clash through injury, and Bale may not be certain of a starting spot when one or both of them return.