BALED OUT
Gareth Bale SCORES for Real Madrid against Arsenal after high profile Zinedine Zidane row
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GARETH BALE played and SCORED for Real Madrid just days after a high profile falling out with Zinedine Zidane.
The Welshman has been linked with a move to China in recent days after Zizou made it clear he had no future in the Spanish capital.
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But Bale came on at half-time and helped change the game for Zidane.
His introduction saw Real Madrid step up in tempo and less than ten minutes later Bale was on the scoresheet, pouncing to poke home from close range after Emiliano Martinez spilled.
Just three minutes, Real were back on level terms, Marcelo cutting back for Marco Asensio to score.
Bale was then the hero at the other end, clearing off the line from Calum Chambers to keep the score at 2-2 and force penalties.
But the Welshman hit a weak effort in the shootout, Emiliano Martinez guessing right to save his effort.
It did not matter, however, as three Arsenal players missed in a 3-2 shootout win for Los Blancos.
Four-time Champions League winner Bale replaced Eden Hazard at half-time against Arsenal - the Belgian cost £150million to be the Welshman's replacement after a poor season.
Bale's agent Jonathan Barnett called Zidane a "disgrace" over the weekend after he said that the winger was set to leave imminently in a deal that was "best for everyone."
Zidane claimed his words were lost in translation - stating that he did not intend to disrespect the forward - but did add that the club were still trying to sell.
Real Madrid coach Zidane says that Gareth Bale refused to play against Bayern
He said: ""Firstly, I have not disrespected anybody and least of all the player. I have always said the same, the players are the most important and every time I am with a player here I will be with them always.
"The second thing, I said the club is trying to sell him. Full stop.
"Third point, I think it is very important and crucial to say that the other day Gareth did not change because he did not want to.
"He said the club was trying to negotiate his departure, and he didn’t want to play because of that.
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"Now we are going to re-initiate. He will train with us today. He will train with the squad today but tomorrow is tomorrow.
"Gareth is a Real Madrid player. That is the most important thing, he is a player for the squad.
"[His] situation is known by everyone and will not change. The club is going to do what they have to do with him."
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