GARETH BALE SHRUGGED off uncertainty over his Real Madrid future as his second-half goal helping the La Liga to a pre-season win against Arsenal on Tuesday night.
Madrid came back from two goals down to draw 2-2, and then won the International Champions Cup friendly 3-2 on penalties.
Welsh star Bale didn’t play in Madrid’s 3-1 loss to Bayern Munich on Saturday, with manager Zinedine Zidane saying it would be “best for everyone” if Bale’s departure could be arranged quickly, comments Bale’s agent branded “disrespectful”.
Zidane insisted on Monday that he meant no disrespect, and Bale duly came in at half-time on Tuesday and made a statement.
“He had a good game and I’m happy for him,” Zidane said. “I do not know what’s going to happen, for now he’s with us. It did not change anything.”
First-half goals from Alexandre Lacazette — who converted a penalty in the 10th minute — and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had put Arsenal up 2-0 at the break — by which time both teams were reduced to 10 men.
Bale pulled one back in the 56th minute, latching onto a loose ball and slotting it home.
Marco Asensio drilled the equalizer three minutes later, blasting a low Marcelo cross past Emiliano Martinez.
Minutes later Asensio was on the ground, apparently injured with little contact to be stretchered off.
Bale continued to offer reminders of his worth — clearing a goal-bound Aubameyang drive off the line following a goalmouth scramble, and just missing with a curling effort off his left foot 10 minutes from time.
Eddie Nketiah, who scored three goals in Arsenal’s two prior friendlies — a 3-0 win over Fiorentina and a 2-1 victory over Bayern Munich — missed two good chances late on.
Bale’s fortunes turned in the shoot-out, when he stepped up first for Madrid and saw his effort saved easily.
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