Gareth Bale did not feature in the Copa del Rey defeat to Athletic Club in midweek, nor did he even warm up, in a sign that his Real Madrid days are fading away.
While the Welshman was not the only attacker not to feature, with Eden Hazard nor Luka Jovic getting on the pitch with Madrid looking for a goal, Bale’s case is unique.
Bale has a legendary status at Madrid, having won four Champions Leagues and contributing massively in two of those finals, but he has fallen from grace as his contract comes to an end.
This season he has had three injuries and a positive test result for COVID-19, which has reduced his playing time with Madrid to just 193 minutes spread over three games, the last of which came on September 28, 2021.
Even though Carlo Ancelotti gave him a chance at the start of the season, it appears as though the Italian has lost any patience he had with him, and a role in the first team no longer looks likely.
Bale will be available for selection against Granada on Sunday, but any chance of Ancelotti calling on him seems slim.
