Updated at 00.55
THIBAUT COURTOIS HAS seemingly hit out at Gareth Bale for not making more of an effort to fit in with his team-mates at Real Madrid.
The goalkeeper, signed from Chelsea in the summer, explained that his Welsh team-mate was one of just two players to miss a team dinner and claimed that Bale’s talent was often “blocked from shining”.
Former Tottenham winger Bale has been consistently linked with a move back to the Premier League and was not in the starting side as Madrid fell to a shock defeat against Girona on Sunday.
Team-mate Marcelo had previously stated that Bale, who moved to Madrid in 2013, still doesn’t speak Spanish, and Courtois has now hinted that Bale, who he says is known as “the golfer” to his team-mates, is not fitting in with the Spanish giants.
“It is very hard to describe Gareth in one word,” he told to Belgian media outlet HLN.
“I would say he has so much talent, but that it is such a shame that so often that talent is blocked from shining.”
Courtois added: “I live like somebody who is born and bred in Madrid. I eat late, I go bed late… it is their way of life.
“The other night we had a dinner with the entire squad.
But Bale and [Toni] Kroos did not turn up. They reckoned the dinner was too late at night.
“We had arranged to be in the restaurant at 9.30pm and we started out meal around 10.15pm and by midnight we were having coffee.
“We go to bed at around 1am. We have to train every morning at 11am. I think that is a perfect time.
“But Bale had told us: ‘I am not coming to join you, guys. I go to bed at 11.’”
Following Sunday’s result Madrid now sit nine points behind La Liga leaders Barcelona as the club enters a vital stretch of the season.
They are next in action against Levante on Sunday, with Madrid then facing the second leg of a Copa del Rey semi-final against Barcelona and a league Clasico three days later.
Murray Kinsella, Andy Dunne and Gavan Casey break down Ireland’s dogged win against Scotland in Murrayfield, and look at the room for improvement, in the latest episode of The42 Rugby Weekly.
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Why is there a Hollywood star in the picture lads?
@#JUSTICE4NOEL: Didn’t go for glory at the end either, just passed the ball on to COB to put the game away. Israel Folau should take note.
@#JUSTICE4NOEL: sporting icon
Fair play to Leinster, it got sticky in a game that should have been straight forward but they hung in there and got the job done and came home with the bonus point win. There were some very average performances in the first half, especially from the all international front row who were all outplayed but the half time chat got them all more focussed. Fardy did well and Deegan put in some big numbers. Thought o brien did well at 12 too and so did Gibson Park. Perfect result for Cullen, maximum points but plenty of work ons for the young lads come Monday morning.
Porter is one of the most overrated players at the moment. Has little to no influence over a game and is average at best. Without bias to munster I would put him below stephen archer
@The_Muffin_Man: good joke im sure stephen archer is in the ireland squad too
@The_Muffin_Man: well for the bench, Ryan a better all round option maybe.
@The_Muffin_Man: about time someone called this. Porter is really struggling for form at the moment and it’s a worry if Furlong gets injured. The gulf is massive
@The_Muffin_Man: what absolute shite talk. Porter is still firmly 2 for Ireland.
@The_Muffin_Man: I cringe watching him trot around the park. Nothing in open play but excellent in the scrum.
@The_Muffin_Man: 1 bad game, he is a class ahead of Ryan. Deluded
Carty has to start against Italy
@Anthony: why?
@Jim Demps: Because he’s a Connacht player and Anthony is extremely biased towards Connacht players.
@Ian Verdon: had he led with Ultan Dillane, he would have snapped up 50 recs by now. Dillane was outstanding. Looks like he’s really enjoying his rugby.
@grandslamkbo: Yeah dillane is back to his destructive best, it’s brilliant to see. His carriers were so explosive tonight and I would love him to start against Italy.
@Ian Verdon: haha keep biting lads lol
Lucky lucky boys
@rowan hill: A lucky 16 point, 6 try win away? I’ll take it!
@Oval Digest: Yep. They really dicked about in those 10 minutes before half time. Lost composure everywhere and the state of that Dave Kearney ‘tackle’ for the 3rd Zebre try!! Their conference is as good as over but some of the players are trying to get back in the national squad. They need to do much better. But, like you, I’ll take it. Plenty of home games left aswell.
10 points from securing 1st place at this stage. The league is brutal at stages (teams not sending teams to win away) tied in with Leinster being very good in others.
Watched it again, COB , Doris, deagan and moloney where all very good.
The best player on the pitch was JGP. His box kicks were very good and not for the first time this season set up a box kick and sniped a sneaky pass from the base allowing massive yards
You might aswell have called them “Zebra”