Zinedine Zidane has lashed out at journalists, accusing them of inventing a divide between him and Gareth Bale that the Real Madrid boss says doesn’t exist.
Bale played over an hour of Real’s La Liga game with Osasuna, a 4-1 win for Los Blancos that took them six points clear at the top of the table - at least until Barcelona’s game with Real Betis on Sunday evening.
It was the Wales international’s first appearance in three La Liga matches following a chest infection and ankle problem. Altogether Bale has missed 10 matches this season through injury or suspension.
The left winger was close to a move away this summer, with Zidane saying he hoped he would leave, but a deal for a move to China fell through at the last minute.
Zidane insisted that Bale was a vital cog in the Madrid machine and said that any problem between him and the player was a creation of the media.
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"The problem here is that there are some people that want me to have a problem with Gareth," he told a press conference.
"That is simply not the case, and it never has been.
"He has not played in the last three games, but he performed well for 70 minutes today.
"We have many players here and it is not easy to balance that."
Madrid’s final goal was scored by Luka Jovic, who smashed home on the half-volley to repay the faith shown in him by his head coach earlier in the week.
Zidane was delighted for the Serbia international forward.
"I'm glad for him, I needed him, he is a pure striker to whom you can say that he plays well, but if he does not score a goal he is not happy,” the Frenchman added.
“He has to improve, but I'm glad for his goal, it will come in handy. "
The win saw Zidane surpass Jose Mourinho in terms of La Liga wins as Real head coach, moving into third place in that list
Zidane’s men take on Celta Vigo and Levante in their next two Primera Division games, before a massive week in which they take on Manchester City in the Champions League and Barcelona domestically.