Zidane ready to count on Bale and James after months of uncertainty

Zidane has had a frosty relationship with Bale since returning to the Madrid job in March, having resigned the previous year after two strikes from the forward gave his side a 3-1 win over Liverpool in the 2018 Champions League final.

The Frenchman used Bale sparingly in the 11 league games he oversaw last season and in July he said the club was trying to sell the player, even remarking that "the best thing would be if he left tomorrow".

But in a news conference ahead of Madrid's trip to Celta, Zidane challenged Bale to win his place back in the team.

"It looked like he was leaving but now he is here and now I'm going to count on him, just like all the other players that are in the squad," Zidane said.

"I expect that every player in the team will want to make things as difficult as possible for me when choosing my line-up."

Bale's chances of playing against Celta were boosted after 100-million-euro ($110.76 million)* forward Eden Hazard sustained a thigh injury in Friday's training session, ruling him out of their opening match.

Also read: Soccer players on the bench … of the accused 

Hazard's injury could also see Colombia playmaker James Rodriguez make his first competitive appearance for Madrid since he joined Bayern Munich on loan two years ago.

Rodriguez is another player Zidane was believed to be keen on off-loading after being frequently linked with a move away from the club, but the coach said he was happy to have the Colombian back in the squad, adding he was fit to face Celta.

Madrid endured a difficult pre-season campaign, winning only two of seven fixtures and suffering an embarrassing 7-3 defeat to Atletico Madrid, but Zidane said his team was excited about the new campaign.

"At Real Madrid, people will always be pessimistic when you don't play well or don't win but the league campaign is a different competition and we are feeling completely optimistic," he said.

"We are looking forward to playing and we want to win."

Squad List

Both Bale and James appeared on the squad list against Celta; while Bale was in the starting eleven, James remained on the bench. Twelve minutes after the match, the Welshman found a game opportunity in which he assisted Benzema on the left, who finished the action and scored, making the Real Madrid ahead of Celta.

Real Madrid dominated the game because the team won 3-1 against Celta, with goals, in addition to Benzema, from Toni Kroos (61 ') and Lucas Vázquez (80'). The only opportunity for the other team, arrived in the complementary time, at 91 minutes, thanks to Iker Losada Aragunde. In addition, the current Ballon d'Or, Luka Modrić was sent off, at minute 56, for a clear foul on Denis Suárez, when the Croatian made an entry from behind.

In this way, the Croatian was expelled from the encounter, after receiving his first direct red. In addition, Modrić becomes the first expelled after a new rule, which "punishes with red the entrances behind in the area of the Tendon de Achilles," according to Infobae.

*(US $1 = 0.9029 euros)