Ball’s back in your court, Roy
Roy Keane tore into Gareth Bale (among others) after Real Madrid’s defeat to Juventus on Tuesday night.
Bale was well below his best – with the mitigating factor that he is returning from injury – but the performance seemed to typify his difficult second season in Madrid.
It’s a season which has seen the Welshman become a target for the media who have on more than one occasion failed to even acknowledge his presence by refusing to give him a mark out of 10 for his performance.
Speaking on ITV, Keane said Bale have ‘absolutely nothing’ to the team during the defeat in Turin.
Now Bale’s agent, Jonathan Barnett, has hit back at Ireland’s assistant manager.
‘Why should we take any notice of comments from people who don’t know what they are talking about – and from people who have failed in management,’ Barnett told the BBC.
The criticism of Bale from many quarters has led to speculation that he will be back in the Premier League next season, but Barnett insists his client is staying in Spain.
‘This is only an issue in England. Gareth is at the biggest club in the world. He is one of the best players in the world. He is fine.
“He only listens to relevant comments. He is 100 per cent focused on Real Madrid.’
