Gareth Bale joined Real Madrid in 2013 for then-record £85million and established himself as one of the greatest players’ in their history, winning countless honours. But of late his role in the team has been next to non-existent as he and manager Zinedine Zidane are engaged in a battle of wills which is far from being finished. Reports suggest their relationship is ‘beyond repair’ and Bale’s recent actions might be an indication about that. Gareth Bale Continues His Funny Antics on Real Madrid’s Bench, Zinedine Zidane Says 'No Complaints'.

Zinedine Zidane may not be the most tactically adept manager in the world but is well-known for building a connection with his player’s which ultimately brings out the best in them. However, it looks like the Frenchman never managed to get to Gareth Bale as the 30-year-old’s importance in the team was gradually reduced. Gareth Bale Takes a Jibe at Real Madrid by Posing With Controversial Flag After Wales Qualify for Euro 2020 (Watch Video).

The two have never been shy while talking about their relationship in the media. During the 2019-20 pre-season press conference in Texas, while talking about Bale’s future Zidane said ‘It's nothing personal. The club is negotiating with whom he is going to play for. If he leaves tomorrow it would be best for everyone.’

It was at that time the Welshman was rumoured to join Chinese side Jiangsu Suning. The move would have made him the highest-paid player in the history of the game. However, the transfer didn’t materialize as president Florentino Perez reportedly pulled the plug at the final moment.

Since then, Zinedine Zidane has kept Gareth Bale out of the matchday squad on several occasions, only including him if it was the last alternative. The Welshman has made just 14 starts this season, his lowest since joining the club. Such treatment would surely bother a player of Bale's stature but he hardly worried about it and his recent antics are a clear signal of that.

Gareth Bale hasn’t played a single minute in Real Madrid’s last five-game and it looks like he could care less. The Welshman is clearly enjoying earning £600,000-a-week while sitting on the bench and winning trophies by doing the bare minimum.

The 30-year-old was seen sleeping during Real Madrid’s 2-0 win over Alaves where he was among the substitutes. And during their latest game against Granada, the Welshman was again on the bench and enjoyed his time there as while the game was going on he could be seen using a roll of wrist tape as imaginary binoculars.

These actions undoubtedly show that Gareth Bale has had a complete fallout with manager Zinedine Zidane, who appears that he could do without the Welshman in his squad as well. Both parties seem to have accepted the current situation and will only look to resolve it if possible once the season ends.

Gareth Bale has a contract with Real Madrid until 30 June 2022 and if the club does not allow him to leave, he is ready to stay at the club till it expires. By that time the 30-year-old will receive wages of around 102 weeks which amount to roughly £35.7 million.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 14, 2020 07:55 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).