Real Madrid’s Gareth Bale has pulled out of the squad to face his former club Tottenham Hotspur in this evening’s pre-season friendly.
Los Blancos face Spurs in the Audi Cup pre-season tournament in Germany later today, but the Wales international will not be involved.
Bale has withdrawn following the collapse of his transfer to Chinese Super League side Jiangsu Suning.
The 30-year-old is surplus to requirements under coach Zinedine Zidane, who had previously said Bale was “very close” to leaving the Bernabeu. Zidane also said the player’s departure would be “best for everyone”.
But with Madrid president Florentino Perez having pulled the plug on the China move, Bale has been left stranded. The Spanish giants have concluded that their four-time Champions League winner is not in the right mental state to feature in the Audi Cup, and he has been omitted from the travelling party.
Bale joined Madrid from Spurs for £85m in 2013.
