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Real Madrid's Gareth Bale simply does not know how to avoid controversy.
In a candid discussion on Erik Anders Lang's podcast, Real Madrid's Welsh superstar Gareth Bale presented a staunch defence of his golfing habits.
The Real Madrid winger has been severely criticised by fans and legendary figures within the club in the past for being far too distracted to be a Real Madrid player. Gareth Bale is clearly having none of that and claims that he is being singled out and ostracised from Real Madrid.
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Gareth Bale's love for golf has been a well-documented story and has been a topic of discussion at Real Madrid for several years now. The Welshman has been accused of compromising his performances for the team to pursue his passion.
The Real Madrid star has claimed that he always consults the club's doctors before pursuing his passtime and expressed his frustration with the lack of understanding displayed by the fanbase.
"A lot of people have problems with me playing golf, I don't know what the reason is. I've spoken to doctors and everybody's fine with it."
Real Madrid star Gareth Bale compares himself to Stephen Curry
Real Madrid's speedster-in-chief was brought to the club in 2013 to bolster the team's pace on the wings. The former Tottenham winger had set the EPL alight with his exploits and expectations were at an all-time high.
While the Welsh star did have some spectacular moments at Real Madrid, his relationship with the fans soon began to sour as his golfing habits and lack of knowledge of the Spanish language began to hog the limelight.
Gareth Bale has sensationally hit back at Real Madrid's fanbase by drawing a comparison between himself and NBA superstar Stephen Curry.
"The media have this perception that it's not good for me. 'You should be resting, it can cause problems, injuries.' In America, I know Steph Curry plays maybe on the morning of a game. Here, if I play two days before a game it's like 'what's he doing?'"
While Bale's claims may be justified to an extent, the winger did himself no favours by unveiling a highly controversial banner in an a Euro 2020 qualifier against Hungary. The celebration earned him the wrath of Real Madrid fans and the consequences of his actions are still felt at the club to this day.
The Real Madrid star defended his actions following the match and claimed that it was only done with humourous intent.
Gareth Bale has been playing golf for several years now and has even constructed a sophisticated golf course at his home in Wales. While the technical staff at Real Madrid may not be particularly happy with the winger's habits, Bale himself feels very differently.
"I just like going out to play, thinking I've got 18 holes ahead of me. You can get away from the football, away from anything negative that's going on, and reset your mind, and the next day you feel a bit more fresh and ready to go and concentrate and feel better about football again."
Despite being the most controversial figure at the club Gareth Bale has tasted extraordinary success at Real Madrid and has won 4 UEFA Champions League titles. The Welshman all but secured the fourth title in the 2017-18 season by scoring a stunning overhead kick against Liverpool in the final.
The Welsh winger has, in his own unique way, contributed heavily to Real Madrid's success over the years. While he may seem distant and nonchalant at times, the fans of Los Blancos would do well to give him another chance.
