In the absence of his own players in the national team, the madridista scrutinizes the matches where white club players do play. Especially Bale and Hazard, who in better conditions could complete a great attack with Benzema if, as is feared, the Mbappé thing is postponed again for a better occasion. Last night it was the turn to finally see Hazard on the way out and finally 90 minutes. He resisted them, but he had already told us the day before that he fears that his ankle will not be the same again. He had things of the great striker that he was, but no trace of that electrical overflow that made him burst defenses and solve games. That is still far away.
His problem is that that brilliant game, of energetic starting, braking and change of direction demands a lot from the ankle, so that this deficit decisively weighs down his game, leaves him without what most distinguished him. It reduces him to a player of talent, vision and a certain shot, but without speed. Something like the Isco of his good morning. It is not the remedy that the Madrid forward needs, reduced to Benzema since Cristiano left and Bale resigned. This one, however, offers more lights. His game against Turkey showed him as the soul of the team, an excellent passer and an enthusiastic captain, whose auctoritas are recognized by all his teammates..
Will you return to Madrid? Bale’s problem is that he has the soul of the nineteenth-century English ‘sportmen’, he does sport for pleasure, he doesn’t like it as work. He enjoys playing golf and even playing soccer in select matches. This is what he has done at Tottenham, tolerated by Mourinho, who has made a good use of him. But, does that give for Madrid? Will Ancelotti allow him to administer himself as Mourinho has allowed him? And more: will you be willing to let him move freely, as he does with Wales and as he intended at Madrid? That confronted them in their day. But today Madrid is so scarce at the top that who knows if old Carletto will compromise.