• Bale: ‘It’s like playing with your mates down the park’• Wales play Azerbaijan in crucial Euro 2020 qualifier in BakuGareth Bale has admitted he finds it more exciting to play for Wales than
Real Madrid, a statement unlikely to be warmly received by his club. Speaking before the Euro 2020 qualifier against Azerbaijan in Baku, Bale said he felt more comfortable playing for his country and likened doing so to “playing with your mates down the park”.
Bale has been criticised in
Spain for reporting for international duty despite not having played a minute for Zinedine Zidane’s side since 5 October. The 30-year-old has not featured since scoring the equaliser in a 1-1 draw against Croatia last month, when he sustained a calf injury that has prevented him from training with Real’s first-team squad.