Preseason discussion

Also why didn't Odri play???????

De La Fuente no wonder Castilla are trash these days

Doc wrote:

halamadrid2 wrote:Mendy is giving me Danilo vibes. Ugh

Kubo has been bright, the rest bleh. I suppose that's what happens when your XI consists of only wingers

I don't get that but I do get that this back 4 clearly never even played a single match together lol. Was fun watching how calamitous they were. Mendy is the real deal, I stake my GL future on it ffs.

I hope you're right. Cant have Marcelo's back up being worse than him

I have never watched him play but he was never getting close to their winger, always getting turned inside out. No idea where the ball or man was half the time. Terrible

Freeza wrote:The ones I've never heard of. There's a reason I've never heard of them, and I hope I will never hear about them again

Seoane, De La Fuente, Javi Hernandez, FM regens that you would put in Castilla and forget about them till they retire.

Mendy was fine.

Hard for a back to play the ball when there literally no midfield

Thought he looked great physically and defensively, but the offense is impossible to judge given the nonsense lineup we played the second half

We played Kubo (RW) as CM, Rodrygo (RW) as CAM, Lucas on the right and Vini on the left. No wonder we had no midfield. There was no recognised CM out there lmao. Felt ZZ threw them out there together so that he could get playing them out of the way

Our brighest Castilla prospect Fidalgo didn't even get any minutes. Meh

Also why was Bale sent home, anyone know?

halamadrid2 wrote:Also why was Bale sent home, anyone know?

I have the right to remain silent

Zidane "Gareth Bale wasn't in the matchday squad today because the club is negotiating his departure...I hope it's soon, that would be the best for everyone".

Feck me. Did he actually say that??????? Savage. When he wants you gone, you are a goner

Is the bad man really gone?

halamadrid2 wrote:Zidane "Gareth Bale wasn't in the matchday squad today because the club is negotiating his departure...I hope it's soon, that would be the best for everyone".

Feck me. Did he actually say that??????? Savage. When he wants you gone, you are a goner

With Bale's on-pitch whining, refusal to celebrate with team mates, and odd, negative hand gesture celebration towards the end of last season, you really don't get the impression that he wants to stay for sporting reasons. I'm sure Zidane has communicated with him regarding his playing time and future plans for him, and I think it's uncontroversial to state that his departure would be in everyone's best interest, unless one considers staying purely for the sake of wages an interest that warrants public respect.

Reporters even asked Kubo about Bale. I guess that's what happens when all thr leaks are plugged. No more inside stories from the camp

For whatever reason I'm not cool with zidane saying that about bale.  It doesn't help the situation as far as finalizing an exit imo. It's already difficult to get bang for our buck cash on him.

This situation makes way for another james type deal, where since we are desperate some club can offer to take him off our hands on a rental and never buy him, like Bayern did......I'd rather a full sale than those kinds of moves, but it's hard to negotiate since it's obvious we are desperate to have him out

Regardless of what Zidane said, it was already more or less public knowledge that Bale is not wanted by the coach and that he's a disappointing player. On top of that is the salary component. Statement is a non-issue imo.

I do find it interesting why Zidane felt like he need to say it like that though, maybe he's still skeptical that the club is doing all that's possible to get rid of him, so this was his way of putting pressure. If that's the case then good for Zizou and fuck Papa Flo for his unconditional love for Adolf Bale.

ZZ put as much pressure on Bale as he has on Madrid... he doesn't want excuses for why things did or didn't happen.

He's really become a savage beast

I agree, he has a sharper edge to him since his return. As long as he gets well with the President, and he's a good coach and manager, things should go well. Journalists for the most part are clowns, and Bale had this coming.

I just dont see why it was necessary, it accomplishes little. Its not like bale doesnt know his position already. And in all honesty, as much as I want bale and many others out too, there is a contract in place. It goes both ways

The only thing i can think of is that we are close to finalising a deal. Many players are not in ZZ's plans yet they made the bench or played. Bale had this coming, Bale has behaved badly at RM. Irony

Siding with Tito on this, not really liking that Zidane made that comment. Doesn't really achieve anything and furthermore, is not a good look for the club. Especially since Bale is someone that has been influential in our great European conquest.

That being said, cat's out the bag and Zizou not wanting Bale is now officially official lol.

titosantill wrote:I just dont see why it was necessary, it accomplishes little. Its not like bale doesnt know his position already. And in all honesty, as much as I want bale and many others out too, there is a contract in place. It goes both ways

Tito, it was super necessary, since the end of last season both Bale and his agent knew he was not part of the plans. Yet they seemingly made no attempts to find him a new club.

Bale's agent has been saying that he won't leave. Why would you want to stay at a club when you've been told you're not needed.

I think it's good that Zidane has made it explicitly clear, to Bale and the public.

JLS reported the agent wanted Bale out of the squad because a deal with a Chinese club was to happen soon.

What else was Zidane to do lol. Bale has a shit attitude and I don't mind Zidane telling the truth.

titosantill wrote:I just dont see why it was necessary, it accomplishes little. Its not like bale doesnt know his position already. And in all honesty, as much as I want bale and many others out too,  there is a contract in place. It goes both ways

It puts both sides on notice.  Strong rumors (good journalists in France) that Pogba's deal is being held up because of Bale and his wages, not the transfer fee.

L'Equipe ran a front page article yesterday titled "The calm before the transfer to Real Madrid" regarding Pogba.  Made it sound like it was a done deal that was waiting for some pieces to fall...

Here it is:

https://www.lequipe.fr/Football/Article/Paul-pogba-le-calme-avant-un-transfert-attendu-au-real-madrid/1041688?utm_source=allo&utm_campaign=allo_407_1041688

Here's a good quote: " although the player has traveled to Australia and preparing preseason there, he's doing it with serenity since he knows that his future should be in line with his wishes...

@cyborg, i don't know bale nor his agent, but when a player is not wanted you can bet your top dollar that the agent is doing all they can to find the player a club. you can also bet that the current club the player is on, are also trying to find a buyer. imo i think the problem is, clubs have told bale's people, that whilst they want him, they may not be able to meet the asking price and at the same time, provide the wages that his madrid contract provided

as a result, my guess is, bale and his agent are trying to work out some kind of deal where madrid pays out the remainder of his wages that the new club can't cover. which is highly unorthodox considering its not a loan; and it will be foolish for us to accept that. but the relationship has deteriorated so badly, that its now becomes a pissing contest

Not sure why people are upset. It might not have been the most diplomatic answer, but it is an honest one. Why would ZZ use valuable preseason minutes on a player who won't be in the squad come September?

@tito... you're wrong here.  Chinese clubs cannot pay high transfer fees since there's a 100% tax on purchasing foreign players.  To make it up, they pay the full wages.

What's happening is that Madrid is basically going to let Bale walk for a low fee but will not cover any of the wages.

The deal is actually simple.  Word is Bale is trying to get even MORE wages.  He's holding Madrid up.

ZZ is basically telling all the dead weight... namely Bale, James and Mariano... that they need to gtfo and stop delaying.  In Bale and James' case, the wages are an issue.  In Mariano's case, he just doesn't want to leave.

Gotten to the point where ZZ is forcing them out publicly.

I like it.

Players can say that they want a transfer... and a club can say that they don't want a player. I hate the disingenuous political correctness that's become pervasive.

i still don't like it, i see it as tacky. bale already knew what his fate was when we where playing for absolutely nothing last season and he wasn't playing. hell, he knew what his fate was when zizou returned. regardless of what the aim is or was, i'm of the opinion it wasn't necessary. none of the parties involved are school boys, even if zidane went on the presser and said bale was the greatest player of all time, bale and his agent would still know he isn't wanted here. agree to disagree i guess

Zidane was an absolute Asshole for making that comment about Bale.