Real Madrid star Gareth Bale banned from playing football on pitch installed in the garden of his £4million Welsh home
Real Madrid fear the £85million superstar could injure his ankle again
SUPERSTAR footballer Gareth Bale has been banned from playing on his own soccer pitch at his £4m home – in case he hurts himself.
The multi-millionaire Real Madrid hero put in goalposts and white pitch markings to have a kick around with pals when he's home in Wales.
But Real Madrid has barred him from playing at home because he's not covered by their insurance.
His fiancee Emma has told him to kick the pitch into touch and turn it back into a lawn for their two little girls to play on.
A close family friend said: "Gareth fell in love with the converted farmhouse because he could have his own pitch in the grounds.
"But he has scored an own goal because his club have banned him from playing on it.
"He did have some of his friends around for a game of five-a-side after they moved in.
"But that's been stopped now in case he suffers another injury."
Bale, 27, almost missed out on the Champion's League final in Cardiff after recovering from ankle ligament damage to come on as a second-half substitute.
The £85m star has been resting at his five-bedroomed country home near the village of Welsh St Donats, Vale of Glamorgan, before heading back to Spain for pre-season training.
His relative said: "His club want to wrap him up in cotton wool after paying all that money for him.
"I think they are afraid his pitch might be a bit bumpy and he could injure his ankle again.
"But it's a well-manicured pitch - he had a professional sports stadium groundsman do it for him."
Bale and Emma, 25, bought the secluded farmhouse for £2m but have splashed out another £2m on improvements since moving in.
The property came with 12 acres but the pair bought some of the surrounding land to give them more privacy.
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They visit for only a few weeks each summer but other relatives and staff live there all year round.
The farmhouse is only a short drive from the Vale of Glamorgan Resort where the Wales soccer team train.
Gareth and his pals have been filmed having a kick about there and it was put on YouTube.
The family member said: "Gareth is a home loving boy and likes to meet up with old friends when he's home.
"But from now on they will have to stick to playing football computer games, they might beat him at that." Real Madrid was approached for a comment yesterday.