Share

Bale form boosting Real confidence, says Zidane

Madrid - Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane singled out fit again Gareth Bale for praise on Tuesday as he prepares his side for a Copa Del Rey quarter-final return leg against Leganes.

Welsh winger Bale produced a sumptuous strike to level against Deportivo La Coruna at the weekend as Real eventually romped to a confidence boosting 7-1 league win following a poor run of form.

Bale has made just a handful of starts this season due to a series of muscle injuries that have seem him spend three months on the sidelines.

Zidane said Bale's brilliance and his brace of goals had lifted the whole club.

"What has changed for him is that he has no problems, nothing is bothering him," the Frenchman said ahead of Wednesday's match.

"For a player, it's fundamental to have nothing holding you back in training.

"He's improving his performances, he's a really important player and he's proving it," said Zidane, who's side trail Barcelona by 19 pints in La Liga.

"I hope he continues to do so, so that the team regains its confidence and we continue in this manner.

"This is what's great about football, we are on a roll and we are hoping to carry on in the same style."

Zidane did not say if Bale or Cristiano Ronaldo, who both suffered knocks on Sunday, would start the game but he did have news about Sergio Ramos's thigh problem.

"He'll be with us tomorrow, we'll see about the line up closer to the time but he'll be there," Zidane said of the veteran defender.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
How much would you be prepared to pay for a ticket to watch the Springboks play against the All Blacks at Ellis Park or Cape Town Stadium this year?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
R0 - R200
33% - 1814 votes
R200 - R500
32% - 1774 votes
R500 - R800
19% - 1081 votes
R800 - R1500
8% - 459 votes
R1500 - R2500
3% - 186 votes
I'd pay anything! It's the Boks v All Blacks!
5% - 252 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE