Real Madrid's Gareth Bale (L) vies with Ajax's Noussair Mazraoui during the UEFA Champions League round of 16 second leg match in Madrid, Spain on March 5, 2019. (Xinhua/Edward F. Peters)
A lot can change in a month. Gareth Bale went from being on the brink of leaving Real Madrid this summer to becoming one of the team's best performers at the start of the new season.
LONDON, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- Just a month ago it looked as if Gareth Bale would start the new season away from Real Madrid after the club worked hard to sell him all summer and coach Zinedine Zidane even said it would be "best for everyone" if Bale left the Santiago Bernabeu.
However, a lot can change in football in a month and Bale has been one of Madrid's best performers at the start of the campaign, setting Karim Benzema up for their opening goal in a 3-1 win in Vigo and scoring twice himself in last weekend's 2-2 draw in Villarreal.
Real Madrid's Gareth Bale (R) vies with Barcelona's Jordi Alba during the Copa del Rey semifinal second leg in Madrid, Spain on Feb. 27, 2019. Real Madrid lost 0-3. (Xinhua/Edward F. Peters)
Bale is currently on international duty with Wales and spoke to the press about his summer on the eve of its Euro 2020 qualifying game at home to Azerbaijan on Thursday.
He said the speculation over his future, "didn't affect me that much."
"I had a great summer holiday. I kept my head down during pre-season and a lot was said, good and bad, but I kept on working hard in training," he said, without revealing what had actually happened.
"If you want answers, maybe you should ask Real Madrid," he said.
Real Madrid head coach Zinedine Zidane (R) gives instructions to Welsh winger Gareth Bale (L) during his side's UEFA Champions League semifinal second leg match against Manchester City at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain on May 4, 2016. (EPA/BALLESTEROS)
Zidane left Bale out of his side at the end of last season and ostracized him for most of the summer's preparation games and the forward said it wasn't "ideal, but it's done now and I know how to deal with it."
"You just try and keep your head up and work hard. I've had a good pre-season in terms of training and I've started the season well," he said.
Bale said he was philosophical over the events of the summer.
"I'm a professional. I get paid to play football. You go through ups and downs, but you have to work hard in training and do things in the right way. When things aren't going your way, if you work hard the situation will change and you'll be rewarded," he concluded.
