Real Madrid

Real Madrid have reportedly agreed a contract extension with striker Karim Benzema that will keep the Frenchman at the Santiago Bernabeu until June 2022.

The deal includes an "improved wage," and Benzema will officially put pen to paper next summer, according to Marca's Pablo Polo.

Benzema turned 32 in December but continues to be a key player for Los Blancos and is their top scorer in 2019-20 with 16 goals in 23 appearances in all competitions.

The striker joined Real Madrid in 2009 from French side Lyon and has been a consistent goalscorer during his time with the Spanish club:

ON THIS DAY: In 2009, Real Madrid confirmed the signing of Karim Benzema from Lyon for £30m.

• 465 games
• 222 goals
• 17 trophies

Money well spent. pic.twitter.com/c6h2zfsmQh

— Squawka (@Squawka) July 9, 2019

He has continued to thrive after Cristiano Ronaldo's departure for Juventus in July 2018 and shows no sign of slowing down despite heading towards the end of his career:

With 27 goals, @Benzema had his best ever goalscoring year in #LaLigaSantander during 2019. 🔥

💜 @realmadriden 💜 pic.twitter.com/HADzS9EuBX

— LALIGA English (@LaLigaEN) December 30, 2019

The Frenchman has proved to be vital again in 2019-20 as Real Madrid has coped for long periods without summer signing Eden Hazard and Marco Asensio because of injury.

Benzema remains the club's most important attacker in a glittering squad that also contains Gareth Bale, Lucas Vazquez, Luka Jovic and Brazilian starlets Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo.

The Frenchman's goals have helped keep an inconsistent Real Madrid side in the title race, just two points behind Barcelona heading into 2020, and into the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League:

MESSI is the leading scorer in #LaLigaSantander heading into 2020! 🔝⚽ pic.twitter.com/hmxYjHIqzb

— LALIGA English (@LaLigaEN) December 23, 2019

It is no surprise that Real Madrid have secured their top striker's future in a move which will keep him at the club until the age of 34 and could see him finish his career in Madrid.

There have been rumours of interest in Benzema in the Spanish press. Carlos Forjanes at AS reported the striker is an "attractive target" for Paris Saint-Germain as they search for a replacement for Edinson Cavani.

Meanwhile, former club Lyon had made it clear they would be happy to have Benzema back. Sporting director Juninho Pernambucano told OLTV in November he dreams that Benzema "will end his career here at Lyon, his home" (h/t Perform, via AS).

Real Madrid have already looked to the future by bringing in young attacking talent such as Jovic, Vinicius and Rodrygo, but Benzema is still their main man and remains one of Europe's most prolific strikers.

Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has defended team-mate Gareth Bale despite his negative portrayal in the Spanish media, saying neither his ability to speak Spanish nor his love of golf is a concern.

Bale, 30, has encountered frequent criticism during his six-year stay at the Santiago Bernabeu, where he has endured lengthy stints out injured and is regularly seen playing golf in his spare time.

Courtois told Sergio Fernandez of Marca that Bale "speaks better Spanish than people think." The Belgian added: "He could give an interview in Spanish perfectly well. I speak to him a lot, I also like golf."

The Belgian also defended his comrade's commitment to the club and said Bale "does everything to win matches," suggesting the media paint an unfair picture of the forward:

"They always go after him for the same things: golf, the language... I want to see him go out and give an interview in Spanish because he speaks very well in the dressing room with lots of team-mates and he understands it very well.

"But it's his thing if he prefers to speak English, it would only be to stop people saying these things (about his Spanish) and they can see that he's very devoted."

The Guardian's Sid Lowe explored Bale's most recent controversy in November, when he celebrated Wales' qualification for UEFA Euro 2020 and appeared behind a flag that read: "Wales. Golf. Madrid. In that order."

Real's dressing room appeared to take the gesture in their stride, and Marcelo even used Bale's golf controversy as inspiration for his "Secret Santa" gift, per The Spanish Football Podcast:

So Marcelo gave Bale a golf club in Real Madrid's secret santa!

Lucas Vázquez given some weights (after dropping some on his foot the other week), Luka Jovic a Spanish dictionary, Brahim Diaz some kids' toys... https://t.co/LCSuEhnjL2

— The Spanish Football Podcast (@tsf_podcast) December 5, 2019

The joke didn't go down well in most Spanish media circles. Manager Zinedine Zidane told reporters in early December he refused to ban his star from playing golf, while Bale has encountered jeers from his own supporters in some fixtures since the incident.

Marcelo sparked a furore around Bale's Spanish fluency in February when he told Esporte Interativo (h/t AS) the Wales winger only spoke English in the dressing room.

Those comments didn't help his image in the Spanish press, and commentator Eduardo Alvarez told BBC 5 Live Sport in November the flag controversy served as "ammunition" to campaign against him:

'It will give them ammunition, I think he's burned a few bridges there'

Spanish football journalist @Alvarez thinks Gareth Bale holding the 'Wales, golf, Madrid' flag has made him "almost as divisive as Mourinho" at Real Madrid.

Listen here 👇:
📲⚽️ https://t.co/X748bYF10o pic.twitter.com/Cd7qhtEzZL

— BBC 5 Live Sport (@5liveSport) November 21, 2019

Sport Witness suggested certain outlets and journalists were reacting after having the golf narrative turned against them by Bale:

It's not too hard to get the impression some in the Spanish media are hurt because they started the 'golf' narrative against Bale and he turned it against them.https://t.co/rmcNlk5HEH

— Sport Witness (@Sport_Witness) November 21, 2019

It's true the player could greatly enhance his reputation were he more forthcoming with his Spanish-speaking ability, though that move may now come across as little more than pandering to his critics.

Bale has featured in Real's last three league games and hopes to return to Zidane's starting lineup when they travel to Getafe in a Madrid derby on Saturday.  

Real Madrid youngster Takefusa Kubo has said manager Zinedine Zidane wanted him to remain at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium this season before he joined Mallorca on loan.

The 18-year-old signed from FC Tokyo in the summer and was sent on loan to Mallorca in August after he impressed during Los Blancos' pre-season tour of Germany and the United States.

Kubo told Japanese television (h/t Marca): 

"When the tour of North America ended, Zidane told me that he wanted me to stay at Real Madrid this season. 

"But I spoke to Zidane and asked him that if there was a chance to have more game time then I'd like to leave on loan."

Kubo was expected to spend the campaign with Real Madrid's Castilla side, similar to fellow youngsters Vinicius Jr., Rodrygo Goes and Brahim Diaz, who have all played for the first team this term.

The seven-times capped Japan international scored his first goal in La Liga when Mallorca beat Villarreal 3-1 in October, a match in which he also won a penalty for Lago Junior to break the deadlock:

Takefusa Kubo scorerd his FIRST GOAL in #LaLigaSantander as Mallorca hit three! 🇯🇵⚽

📺 Highlights #RCDMallorcaVillarreal pic.twitter.com/uNaAeSvmje

— LALIGA English (@LaLigaEN) November 11, 2019

The teenager has shown great promise early in his Spanish top-flight career and has earned his place in Mallorca's first-team plans, starting in each of their last seven league games.

His impact has been felt most from the right wing, though Kubo has started to divide his playing time between the left flank and in more central positions:

Great skill from Takefusa Kubo, but Lago Junior fires high! #RCDMallorcaSevillaFC pic.twitter.com/0WorMmzczZ

— LALIGA English (@LaLigaEN) December 21, 2019

Vinicius, 19, and Rodrygo, 18, look the likely prospects out wide for Zidane at present, although more senior options are available in the form of Eden Hazard and Gareth Bale.

It once looked as though Kubo was bound for Liga success with Barcelona after he joined their academy in 2011, but he was forced to leave in 2015 after the Catalan side had been found to have breached international transfer regulations in signing him.

His star is back on the rise in La Liga after proving himself in Japan, though, and AS recently discussed Barca's potential regret after they had to let the player leave:

"As the Masia coaches had predicted some years ago, Takefusa Kubo would one day line out for the first team at Camp Nou. However, what they hadn’t predicted is that it would be for the opposing side"https://t.co/1Gi7hMZ2ji

— AS USA (@English_AS) December 7, 2019

Zidane has made no secret of his willingness to promote young players since returning to Real, and Kubo could join the lineup next term if he continues to impress at Mallorca.

Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane has refuted suggestions the club should sign an additional striker in the January transfer window, saying Los Blancos don't have a problem scoring goals. 

Per Marca's J.I. Garcia-Ochoa, Zizou faced the press after the scoreless draw against Athletic Club. In his mind, Los Blancos created enough chances to win the game:

"It's not bad luck or [a lack of] conviction—the important thing is creating chances. We created so many chances...we're going to continue; it's going to go in [eventually].

"Now it's not going in, but we can't let our heads drop. We have to think that it's been a very good year. We're ending a bit flat but we're looking forward to starting 2020.

"I don't think [the lack of goals] is a problem, but everyone has their own opinion. We're calm. What we've done in the last four or five months was good."

When asked if he wanted to add a striker in January, he said: "Absolutely not. I don't think we need to sign a striker."

Real have drawn their last three La Liga matches of 2019, scoring just a single goal. They had several great chances to score on Sunday but couldn't work the ball past goalkeeper Unai Simon. To watch highlights of the match, click here.

After the contest, the London Evening Standard's Ben Hayward highlighted an over-reliance on Karim Benzema as a key issue for the team:

🌎 Back down to Earth after #ElClasico
😬 #RealMadrid over-dependent on Benzema
7⃣ Hazard's creativity is missed
🇧🇷 A match made for Marcelo
🤩 Magnificent Modrić still has much to offer#RealMadridAthletic talking points 👇https://t.co/Po2nLxq5r6

— Ben Hayward (@bghayward) December 23, 2019

The 32-year-old leads the way with 12 goals in La Liga so far, miles ahead of the rest. Sergio Ramos has the second-most goals for Los Blancos in the top division with three.

Those numbers pale in comparison to Barcelona, who have scored 14 more goals than their rivals. Lionel Messi leads everyone in the division with 13, Luis Suarez has hit double-digits and Antoine Griezmann (seven) and Arturo Vidal (five) have also outscored Ramos.

Injuries have contributed to Real's scoring problem, with Eden Hazard and Gareth Bale spending time on the sidelines. The lack of experience for the likes of Rodrygo, Vinicius Junior and Luka Jovic has also been a factor.

The latter in particular has been a disappointment so far, scoring just a single La Liga goal. He arrived in the summer after a great campaign with Eintracht Frankfurt, and big things were expected of the Serbia international:

The 22-year-old may be the internal answer to the scoring problem Zidane is looking for. The ace striker scored 27 goals across the Bundesliga and Europa League last season, when he was a regular starter. He's started just three La Liga matches so far, and could rediscover his shooting boots with more opportunities.

It's far too early to give up on one of the brightest young forwards in the sport, who will be looking to erase the memories of his poor start at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu in 2020.

Real Madrid were held to a goalless draw by Athletic Bilbao in the final La Liga fixture of 2019 on Sunday at the Santiago Bernabeu.   

Los Blancos created plenty of chances in a dominant first-half performance but could not find a way past goalkeeper Unai Simon.

Toni Kroos smashed a shot against the underside of the crossbar after a storming run, while Karim Benzema had an effort backheeled off the line by defender Unai Nunez.

The hosts also survived a let-off just behind half-time. Kenan Kodro found the top corner with a shot after a quick break but saw his effort ruled out for offside.

Real Madrid piled on the pressure after the break but endured more frustration as substitutes Nacho Fernandez and Luka Jovic were both denied by the woodwork.

Athletic managed to cling on for a hard-fought point that sees Real Madrid stay in second place but drop two points behind fierce rivals Barcelona at the top of the table.

Zinedine Zidane was without the suspended Casemiro for Sunday's clash and made four changes to the team that drew with Barcelona in El Clasico, bringing in Eder Militao, Luka Modric, Vinicius Jr. and Rodrygo.

Athletic Bilbao made six changes to their team that beat Intercity in the Copa del Rey on Tuesday with key players such as Simon, Yuri Berchiche, Dani Garcia, Inaki Williams and Kodro all back in the starting XI.

Vinicius Jr. brought supporters to their feet early on. The Brazilian won possession on the edge of the box and swapped passes with Benzema but saw his shot blocked by Simon:

Great skill from Vinicius, top save from Unai Simon! 🎩⛔ #RealMadridAthletic pic.twitter.com/OqQoVkEzG6

— LALIGA English (@LaLigaEN) December 22, 2019

Real Madrid kept pressing and went even closer when Kroos stormed through Athletic's three centre-backs and rifled a shot that beat Simon but smashed against the underside of the crossbar and away to safety.

At the other end of the pitch, Real Madrid needed goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois to be alert to deny Inaki Williams on the break:

A BIG HAND from Courtois! ✋#RealMadridAthletic pic.twitter.com/SwN8tvjogu

— LALIGA English (@LaLigaEN) December 22, 2019

The chances continued to flow for the hosts. Benzema rounded Simon on the half-hour mark and clipped the ball across goal from a tight angle only to see Nunez manage to get back and flick it clear.

Athletic also needed Simon to save a firm Benzema header from a Rodrygo cross and thought they had taken the lead against the run of play when Kodro lashed a shot past Courtois that was flagged for offside.

Real Madrid were forced into a change after the break with Nacho coming on for the injured Militao, and the substitute headed against the crossbar from a Kroos corner within minutes of his arrival:

Real Madrid are laying seige to the visitors goal! 💥#RealMadridAthletic pic.twitter.com/rerQbwG5eL

— LALIGA English (@LaLigaEN) December 22, 2019

Zidane sent on Gareth Bale and Luka Jovic in an attempt to break the deadlock but saw his team nearly undone after another break. Inigo Lekue attacked down the right and crossed for Williams who was just beaten to the ball at the far post by Dani Carvajal.

There was more frustration for Real Madrid late on when Jovic rose highest to head a Carvajal cross goalwards and saw his header beat Simon but hit the base of the post.

Real Madrid threw centre-back Sergio Ramos up front for the six minutes of stoppage time but still could not conjure a goal on a frustrating night for Los Blancos.

     

What's Next?

Athletic Bilbao return to La Liga action at Sevilla on Friday, January 3. Real Madrid play a day later away at Getafe.

Real Madrid continue to improve in La Liga, and Los Blancos play Athletic Bilbao on Sunday at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

Zinedine Zidane's collective more than matched champions Barcelona in Wednesday's goalless El Clasico at the Camp Nou. A title challenge appears to be on track for Madrid.

Real's next opponents have had an good campaign so far, with Athletic Club in seventh after achieving consistent results.

              

Date: Sunday, Dec. 22

Time: 9 p.m. local, 8 p.m. GMT,  3 p.m ET

TV: Premier Sports 2 (UK), BeIN Sports (USA)

Stream: Premier Player, LaLigaTV, beIN Connect

Odds: Madrid: 33-10, Bilbao: 39-5, draw: 43-10 (via Caesars)

                  

Preview

After a year of inconsistency and fluctuating results, the real Los Blancos are emerging from the shadows.

Zidane's position was under threat after a poor end to the previous campaign. Madrid lost 12 games across the season, finishing third and 19 points behind the champions.

The Frenchman only returned to the Bernabeu in March, so the whole campaign was not entirely his responsibility, but Real took time to find their best once Zidane grabbed the reins for a second time.

Los Blancos have lost just once this term, compared to Barca's three. This season they are not allowing the Catalans to run away with the championship.

Madrid are unbeaten in their last eight, but they will be challenged by a Bilbao team experiencing their own upturn in fortunes.

Last season, the Lions missed European qualification by one place on head-to-head results with Espanyol after the sides finished level on points.

Coach Gaizka Garitano's objective now will be to go one better and comfortably secure UEFA Europa League participation—or earn an elusive UEFA Champions League spot in the top-four.

The travelling side will have to contain Karim Benzema, who has been Madrid's main man this season, leading the attack in vintage form.

Benzema has scored 13 goals in 16 appearances against Bilbao during his career, and the 32-year-old has hit the back of the net 12 times in La Liga this term.

Despite their consistent Champions League successes, Madrid have won La Liga only six times since 2000, and as we approach 2020, president Florentino Perez will demand his team climb back to the top of the domestic tree ahead of Barca.

France boss Didier Deschamps has said he expects Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane to take charge of the national team "at one point" in the future.

Deschamps and Zidane are both considered iconic figures in French football having been part of the side that won the FIFA World Cup in 1998. The former took over as Les Bleus boss in 2012 and went on to win the prize with his country in the summer of 2018, too.

The 51-year-old agreed a new contract with the world champions recently that will see him steer France's defence of their world title at the tournament in Qatar in 2022.

Speaking to Le Monde (h/t Sacha Pisani of Goal), the former midfielder was asked about the prospect of Zidane replacing him further down the line: "The next coach could be Zizou. At one point or another, it'll be him. When you're a coach, there's no age limit. It's the results that make you last."

Deschamps enjoyed remarkable success as a player and was an exceptional leader for the France team.

The midfielder was inspirational in their win in 1998 on home soil before he helped the side to UEFA European Championship glory a couple of years later. It's a feat he'll be seeking to repeat as a manager when France head into this summer's major tournament as one of the favourites for glory.

In October, OptaJean reflected on the fine work done by Deschamps so far:

51 years - Didier Deschamps as French national team coach 🇫🇷:

98 games - 1st

63 wins - at least 22 more than any other manager

Only French national team coach with 2 finals in World Cup + EURO.

Birthday 🎂. @FrenchTeam pic.twitter.com/GVDLZNgxzB

— OptaJean (@OptaJean) October 15, 2019

By the time the World Cup in 2022 comes around, the former midfielder would have been in charge of the national team for 10 years, and perhaps the time will be right for a change.

At that point, it would be intriguing to see if Zidane, who returned to Real Madrid for a second spell as manager last season, would be open to taking on the position.

Like Deschamps, he was part of the successful sides in 1998 and 2000. Zidane is considered one of the best French players of all time—his elegant midfield play and creativity made him a joy to watch.

He's enjoyed incredible success as a manager, too, winning three UEFA Champions League titles in his first stint as Madrid boss.

Following on from Wednesday's 0-0 Clasico draw with Barcelona, Match of the Day reflected on his strong record in Los Blancos' biggest game:

Zinedine Zidane has become the first Real Madrid manager to remain unbeaten in five away Clasicos.

History maker.

Reaction 👉 https://t.co/3uwVOUwfCL#bbceurofooty pic.twitter.com/zZfrfa2HI0

— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) December 18, 2019

Should Deschamps move on at the end of his next contract, there'll be no shortage of coaches in the hunt for the France job, as the country is blessed with some of the best players in the world.

Madrid will be hoping Zidane is still in charge and thriving when that time comes. Under the guidance of the 47-year-old, Los Blancos appear in a much stronger position to compete for major prizes.  

Zinedine Zidane has said Real Madrid "deserved to win" the first Clasico of the season after his team settled for a 0-0 draw having dominated Barcelona for much of their visit to the Camp Nou on Wednesday.

Real manager Zidane, 47, tactically outmanoeuvred Barcelona counterpart Ernesto Valverde for the most part, and he told reporters after the game his players deserved more:

“The result feels like very little because we deserved a lot more, but football is often like that. If you create chances, you have to score them, and we weren't able to do that. The team made a tremendous effort, and when you play like that in this stadium, you deserve more.

“We pressed them high up the pitch, we kept taking the ball off them, and we did a really good job. We gave a great image of ourselves, but we wanted more.

“With the performance we put in, we deserved to win, but that's football. Sometimes you do everything right but it doesn't come off. Sometimes you score two or three times, others you can't score at all.”

Three Barcelona players were cautioned during a tense first half for the hosts, though they grew into the second period when five Real players received yellow cards:

Fair result?

📽️ Highlights from an INTENSE #ElClasico at the Camp Nou. 🍿 pic.twitter.com/dwkOQjSoyv

— LALIGA English (@LaLigaEN) December 18, 2019

Karim Benzema hit the frame of the goal in the second half, while Real ended the match with 17 shots to Barca's nine, per WhoScored.com. Only four of Real's efforts hit the target, though that's still double the amount of times Barca managed to test Thibaut Courtois.  

Los Blancos were also denied a strong penalty appeal on Raphael Varane, whose French compatriot Clement Lenglet was fortunate to not give away a spot-kick, per Marca (h/t The Spanish Football Podcast):

Varane's thigh after the Lenglet challenge https://t.co/u5t2Buof7t

— The Spanish Football Podcast (@tsf_podcast) December 18, 2019

A draw and a clean sheet still puts Real in good shape to win La Liga provided they can edge the reverse fixture, with Barcelona scheduled to visit the Santiago Bernabeu on the weekend of February 29.

Real would gain the head-to-head advantage over their bitter rivals should they win that clash and go on to finish level on points, though Barca have won in each of their last five competitive trips to the Bernabeu.

Spanish football author Colin Millar highlighted Zidane's imperious record as a manager at the Camp Nou: 

Zinedine Zidane remains unbeaten at Camp Nou as a manager - two wins and three draws.

A remarkable record as Barcelona have lost just once at home in last 68 matches in all comps (v Betis, November 2018).

Barcelona had won 14 in a row at Camp Nou in La Liga before tonight.

— Colin Millar (@Millar_Colin) December 18, 2019

The two teams remain level on points at the summit of La Liga heading into the winter break, with both teams approaching their final fixtures of the calendar year in Week 18.

Barcelona have an opportunity to temporarily move back in front when they host Alaves on Saturday, while Real are also at home when they welcome Athletic Bilbao to the Bernabeu on Sunday.  

Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos said VAR failed to award two penalties to his side in their goalless draw with Barcelona at the Camp Nou on Wednesday. 

Raphael Varane twice appeared to be fouled in the penalty area during a first-half corner, first by a shirt -pull from Ivan Rakitic, and then by Clement Lenglet when he caught his French compatriot on the thigh with his studs.

Ramos told Movistar (h/t Goal's Joe Wright): "We saw them at the break and they look pretty clear. They're both penalties, but we can't change that now. VAR is here to help. It's bad luck. On another day, it'll be our turn to have a penalty that they don't check."

The Spanish Football Podcast observed the early controversy in the match, while AS provided images of both incidents:

Already controversy at Camp Nou - Varane fouled by Lenglet, looked a clear penalty, also had his shirt pulled by Rakitic. Expect to hear *a lot* about those incidents depending how the game goes...

— The Spanish Football Podcast (@tsf_podcast) December 18, 2019

🤔 ¿Ves dos penaltis sobre Varane?#ElClasico
🔁 Sí
❤️ No pic.twitter.com/1F9rvF71jV

— Diario AS (@diarioas) December 18, 2019

The high challenge from Lenglet left its mark on Varane:

https://twitter.com/marca/status/1207421589723201539

Real Madrid followed the lead of their captain, with the club's official website stating "neither referee nor VAR system saw two penalties on Varane."

Alejandro Jose Hernandez Hernandez, who officiated the game, did not consult the pitchside monitor to review either incident.

Real also had a VAR call go against them in the second half when Gareth Bale had the ball in the back of the net, but it was disallowed for an offside against Ferland Mendy.

It was a frustrating night for the visitors, who were dominant in the first half with 12 shots on goal.

Casemiro had a header cleared off the line by Gerard Pique, although Barca also had some excellent chances, too. Ramos had to intervene on the line to clear a goal-bound shot from Lionel Messi, and Jordi Alba failed to hit the target after the Argentinian had picked him out in space:

As football writer Dermot Corrigan observed, it has been some time since both sides failed to score against one another:

Tonight first goalless Clasico since Nov 2002 - 49 since across LaLiga, Copa del Rey, Supercopa and Champions League without a 0-0.

— Dermot Corrigan (@dermotmcorrigan) December 18, 2019

Ramos saw plenty of positives from Real's performance, though:

"We saw a great Real Madrid today, with a lot of personality, on a very tough pitch. We went to steal the ball, which helped us create many chances. There were few mistakes and that's the end result.

"We controlled the game quite well. We had more chances than them. It's not easy to get the ball off them. The strategy of pressing high worked well."

Real have now lost just twice in their last nine visits to the Camp Nou in all competitions.

Wednesday's draw means the two sides remain level on points after 17 matches. Their head-to-head record for this season is even, so Barca are ahead thanks to their marginally better goal difference.

Given there has been little to separate the two sides so far, the title could rest on the second Clasico of the campaign when Barca visit the Santiago Bernabeu on March 1.

Barcelona have won six of their last seven matches at the Bernabeu, so they perhaps have the edge in the title race.

Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane has said Gareth Bale is in good shape ahead of the team's crucial Clasico showdown with Barcelona on Wednesday. 

The joint La Liga leaders will head to the Camp Nou to face off in what promises to be a crucial encounter. The match was initially set to be played on October 26, but it was suspended because of civil unrest in the Catalan capital.

A couple of months on, the significance of the game has arguably heightened and Bale will be desperate to be involved after making his return to the side as a substitute against Valencia on Sunday. Zidane hinted the Welshman may be involved in the encounter on the eve of the game, per Manu de Juan of AS.

"Bale is with us, he is training well," said the Madrid boss. "He is an important player and has always shown that. Tomorrow he will be prepared like everyone, I don't have a doubt about that."

Bale made his first appearance for Madrid since November 30 on Sunday, coming off the bench for the final 21 minutes at the Mestalla. Although he struggled to get up to the pace of the game against Los Che, he was on the field for Karim Benzema's stoppage-time equaliser:

Speaking on Premier Sports, Sid Lowe of the Guardian thinks Zidane will make the decision to start Bale in the Clasico:

🤔 Will Gareth Bale start for Real Madrid in the El Clasico?

🗣 @sidlowe seems to think so 👀

📺 Watch Viva LaLiga on LaLigaTV, via the Premier Player!#ElClasico pic.twitter.com/3TCNyqo39H

— Premier Sports (@PremSportsTV) December 17, 2019

As relayed by Spanish football writer Dermot Corrigan, neither Rodrygo nor Isco were impressive when handed a chance at Valencia:

Zidane going for it with Bale and Vinicius for Rodrygo and Isco - who have both faded out of it almost completely.

— Dermot Corrigan (@dermotmcorrigan) December 15, 2019

Bale has endured a turbulent campaign due to a number of factors, so it would be a big call if Zidane did decide to start him in what is Madrid's biggest game of the season.

After all, there was a spell during the summer when it appeared unlikely Bale would be playing for the club in 2019-20, although a move to the Chinese Super League side Jiangsu Suning fell through. The Welshman has also suffered with his trademark fitness issues, with a succession of knocks limiting his playing time.

Bale has also been jeered by his own fans, most notably in the 3-1 win over Real Sociedad last month after he brandished a flag suggesting he prefers the Wales team and golf over Los Blancos on international duty:

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🏌‍♂⚪

🙈 Gareth Bale is welcomed into the game by whistles from all around the Bernabeu! pic.twitter.com/PSk82cBDQx

— Premier Sports (@PremSportsTV) November 23, 2019

Nevertheless, throughout his Madrid career, Bale has regularly produced in big games. He's netted numerous goals in major cup finals and while he may now be a little past his best, the 30-year-old remains capable of deciding a game with a swing of his left foot.

Zidane has a lack of options in the final third too. Not only did Rodrygo and Isco fail to take their chances at Valencia, but he's also without the injured Eden Hazard for the Clasico encounter, not to mention long-term absentees Marco Asensio and Lucas Vazquez.