Gareth Bale: 'Fresh' forward looking good to Wales boss Ryan Giggs
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Gareth Bale: Out-of-favour at Real Madrid, but looking good to Wales boss Giggs
Wales manager Ryan Giggs says Gareth Bale's troubles at Real Madrid have left him fresh for June's Euro 2020 qualifiers in Croatia and Hungary.
Bale has been largely left on the bench for the Spanish club this season, with the forward seemingly unwanted by manager Zinedine Zidane.
"If he's flying for Real Madrid then I'm asked if that's a benefit," Giggs said.
"If he's not, then he's coming in fresh. There is always an angle."
Bale endured a torrid end to the season, as Real manager Zidane dropped him from his starting XI and even refused to bring him off the bench in the final league game.
Zidane admitted he "did not know" whether the 29-year-old would still be at the club next season, while former president Ramon Calderon said it is "impossible" for Bale to remain at the Bernabeu.
The fans have also continued to show their displeasure at the former world record signing and in a poll by Spanish newspaper AS, 91% of respondents said they wanted him gone.
But Giggs insists Bale's enthusiasm for the game is as strong as ever and the player was in good form at a recent training camp in Portugal.
"We played a game [on Tuesday] and he looked really good, sharp and really fresh, I'm excited to see him in these two games [against Croatia and Hungary]," Giggs said.
"He was sharp, he wanted the ball, and he was practising his trademark of cutting in on his left foot. He scored a great goal.
"Afterwards when a lot of the lads went in he was practising his shooting, so that doesn't strike me as someone who just wants to get off and go back to his room.
"It struck me as a professional who still loves football."
Gareth Bale has found himself mostly among the substitutes at Real Madrid this season
Bale joined Real from Tottenham in 2013 for what was then a world-record fee of £85m.
He has since won four Champions League titles, scoring decisive goals in two of those finals against Atletico Madrid and Liverpool, as well as three Fifa World Club titles, one La Liga title and a Copa del Rey.
But the future of Bale, who has scored over 100 goals for Real and is contracted there until 2022, remains uncertain, with the Spanish giants reportedly keen to get him off the wage bill this summer.
Asked if he was surprised by the criticism aimed at Bale in Madrid, Giggs said: "Yes, but I'm not over there.
"I'm not a Real Madrid fan. I don't know the ins and outs and I'm only looking from the outside.
"But you've got a player who won the team the Champions League final last year with one of the best goals you've ever seen and performs for that team week in, week out.
"I remember the original Ronaldo getting stick off Real Madrid fans. I remember Cristiano [Ronaldo] getting stick early doors.
"It's that kind of club, it's a club like no other where the white handkerchiefs come out if they don't like you. That's just the way it is."