Madrid: Rafael Benitez is ready to make Gareth Bale Real Madrid’s new ‘untouchable’ ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo in a move that could also see the Welshman given a chance to play through the middle for the Spanish club.
Benitez has called a press conference for Thursday and is expected to confirm that he will succeed Carlo Ancelotti at Real, with Bale the key man in his planned Bernabeu revolution.
The Spaniard’s announcement coincides with Bale underlining his commitment to the club despite a difficult season for him personally. “Not the end of the season we had hoped for, we always want to win trophies,” Bale wrote on Tuesday after the club failed to reach the Champions League final and finished second to Barcelona in La Liga.
“Will be working hard in the off season and looking forward to coming back next season stronger with @realmadrid,” he added, ending the uncertainty over his Real future.
Florentino Perez, the Real president, is desperate for Bale to be a big success having paid a world record £85.3 million to sign him from Tottenham Hotspur two years ago.
Bale’s first season in Spain was a success, as he played a crucial part in Real winning the Champions League and Copa del Rey. But the 25-year-old forward has often being played on the right in this campaign and gone long periods without receiving the ball.
That should all change under Benitez, the former Liverpool and Chelsea manager, who has told Perez that he plans to introduce more of a team ethic and bring out the best of Bale by playing him where he is comfortable. Bale could be given a chance in a central role, behind an out-an-out striker, with Ronaldo facing the prospect of having to play out wide.
Benitez agrees with Perez that Bale should represent the future of Real and that Ronaldo, 30, will have to fit into the club’s new strategy. It remains to be seen whether the world footballer of the year will accept the situation.
Sources in Spain even claim that Benitez may be prepared to sell Ronaldo, and not Bale, if he cannot successfully incorporate both players into his Real team.
Benitez witnessed the devastating impact the player can have at first hand while he was Inter Milan manager. Bale scored a stunning hat-trick in the San Siro for Spurs in the Champions League.
While Bale is likely to benefit from the arrival of Benitez, Karim Benzema could be allowed to leave Real. The France international’s potential availability will alert a number of Premier League clubs. Arsene Wenger, the Arsenal manager, is a big fan of Benzema, while Manchester United are also likely to be in the market for a striker.
Benitez is backing Real’s bid to sign the United goalkeeper David De Gea.
In two years at Napoli, the 55-year-old has won the Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana. Ancelotti’s agent, Ernesto Bronzetti, said: “Benitez will be the coach of Madrid, it’s 99 per cent certain. Ancelotti wants to take a year off, that’s his intention. The team was concerned by the news and some players cried when his departure was announced. Real Madrid can sack you if you don’t win any trophies in a season.”
Bale is on course to win his 50th cap for Wales on June 12 in the Euro 2016 qualifier against Belgium after being included in manager Chris Coleman’s 23-man squad.
Coleman hopes Benitez will be as accommodating to Bale’s international demands as Ancelotti was. “The [Real Madrid] president thinks a lot of Gareth,” Coleman said. “Unless Gareth wants to leave, which I don’t think is the case, then I don’t think he’ll go anywhere. It’s another trip to Madrid for me to have a few days with Rafa and make sure that he’s comfortable with us.”
