Real’s struggles continue with fresh loss to Spurs amid Bale transfer saga
Tottenham’s Harry Kane in action against Real Madrid during their friendly match. Reuters
“Our defeat was well deserved,” Real midfielder Tony Kroos told German TV after the match. It’s true that we’re not quite in good shape.” Harry Kane scored the only goal of the game with a deft finish after pouncing on a disastrous pass by Marcello, who was trying to prevent a throw in, after 22 minutes.
Humiliated 7-3 last week by Atletico Madrid, Real could thank goalkeeper Keylor Navas, starting in place of injured Thibaut Courtois, for preventing a heavier against an enterprising and more aggressive Spurs team.
Madrid survived some goalmouth scares in the first half. After the break, Dele Alli went close twice and 17-year-old Troy Parrott hit the inside of the post.
Zinedine Zidane’s team have conceded 13 goals and lost three of their four warm-up games.
“We started off very badly, the opponent took advantage of our mistakes,” said Kroos.
With Gareth Bale, the source of turmoil in recent weeks, left out of the squad for the trip to Munich and James Rodriguez yet to start after returning from Bayern, Real rarely threatened. Star summer recruit Eden Hazard was invisible.
Both teams will be in action again tomorrow. Tottenham play the winner of the Tuesday’s second match, between Bayern and Fenerbahce. Real will have the opportunity to make amends tomorrow against the loser.
Zidane’s men then travel to Austria to face Salzburg on Aug.6, then to Italy for a match against AS Rome, the last friendly before the starting the Spanish League away to Celta Vigo on Aug.17.
Meanwhile, Bale’s future at Real Madrid took another twist when he was left out of the Spanish side’s squad for two friendly matches in Munich.
“Bale did not travel in order to resolve his future,” Spanish sports daily Marca reported on Tuesday, adding that Real Madrid were still in talks with Chinese side Jiangsu Suning who had offered the Welshman a three-year-deal worth $1.1 million a week.
However the Chinese club appear to have shut the door on Bale and sports daily As says he could be headed for a Premier League return.
“Bale wanted to stay (at Real Madrid) but Zinedine Zidane has made that impossible,” said As.
“The preferred destination for Bale is the Premier League which closes its transfer window on Aug. 8. There are only 10 days to find a team there.”
Real Madrid held up the proposed transfer to Jiangsu Suning on Sunday in a dispute over the fee and the Chinese club announced on Monday they had signed Croatian striker Ivan Santini from Anderlecht instead.
Bale, 30, has been at the centre of transfer talk since Zidane returned as coach of Real in March.
The Frenchman has made no secret of his desire to offload Bale who joined Real Madrid in a then world record £85 million move from Tottenham in 2013.
The Spanish press has been mooting a possible return to Champions League finalists Tottenham although Bale’s salary demands are likely to be far beyond the pay structure at the north London club.
Bale’s agent Jonathan Barnett has already insisted that any deal which sees the Welshman leave the Bernabeu would have to be a permanent one and not one that sees him shipped out on loan.
“Gareth is one of the best players on the planet. I can guarantee you he will not be going on loan to any club,” said Barnett.
Bale was not the only familiar name missing from the 24-man squad for Munich. Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who shipped seven goals last week against Atletico Madrid, is injured while James Rodriguez came back late from holiday after playing for Colombia in the Copa America.
Real will face either Fenerbahce or Bayern Munich on Wednesday.
Agencies
