Real Madrid: "Too distressed" Bale left out of Audi Cup squad
Gareth Bale has not been included in Real Madrid's squad for the Audi Cup, while Thibaut Courtois also misses out due to injury.
With his future at Real Madrid still up in the air, Gareth Bale has been left out of Los Blancos' squad for the Audi Cup in Munich.
Bale "too distressed" after China move collapse
According to a report in the UK media immediately after the announcement of Madrid's travelling party for the pre-season tournament, the Welshman has stayed behind in Spain because he is "too distressed" at his treatment by the club following the apparent collapse of his move to Chinese club Jiangsu Suning, where he was due to earn a reported 1m pounds a week.
On Monday, a day after it emerged that Bale's transfer to Jiangsu had been called off by club president Florentino Pérez, the 30-year-old trained away from the first-team group in Madrid's first session at Valdebebas since their return from their unsuccessful tour of United States.
With just two days to go until the transfer window closes in China, the CSL now appears to be ruled out as an option for Bale, and it is unclear where he goes from here. The forward is unwanted by head coach Zinedine Zidane, while the club have been hoping to raise funds from his departure for the mooted signing of Paul Pogba from Manchester United. Though Bale is keen to stay at the Bernabéu, the breakdown in his relationship with Zidane makes that an unlikely outcome.
If Bale is to leave, his preferred destination would be the Premier League, where he retains an excellent reputation. A return to Tottenham, who sold him to Madrid in 2013, looks impossible due to the cost of the deal; however, a switch to United could offer a potential solution, not least because Los Blancos could include him in their move for Pogba. The Premier League window closes on 8 August...
Other absentees
As he continues to recover from an ankle injury picked up in the 7-3 International Champions Cup defeat to Atlético Madrid, striker Luka Jovic also did not train with the Madrid group on Monday, and will not travel to Munich.
Meanwhile, goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois will also remain in Madrid: the Belgian has been ruled out of the trip to Bavaria at the last minute after being diagnosed with an ankle sprain, and is now a doubt for Los Merengues' opening game of the LaLiga season, at Celta Vigo on 17 August.
Casemiro, Éder Militao and James Rodríguez - who has been told by Madrid that he'll be staying at the club next term - have been omitted from the Audi Cup squad as they have only just begun pre-season training after returning from holiday.
Audi Cup: Spurs first, followed by Bayern or Fenerbahce
Real Madrid take on Tottenham in the semi-finals of the Audi Cup on Tuesday, before playing either the final or a third-place play-off on Wednesday, against Fenerbahce or hosts Bayern Munich.
Real Madrid squad for the Audi Cup
Goalkeepers: Keylor Navas, Lunin and Altube.
Defenders: Carvajal, Ramos, Varane, Nacho, Marcelo, Odriozola, Javi Hernández, De la Fuente and Miguel Gutiérrez.
Midfielders: Kroos, Modric, Valverde, Isco and Seoane.
Forwards: Mariano, Benzema, Lucas Vázquez, Vinicius, Hazard, Rodrygo and Kubo.