The reluctant galactico who can catch Phil Neal

Real Madrid star Gareth Bale has been keeping a suspiciously low profile in the build up to his team’s Champions League final against Liverpool on Saturday – indicating that his days in Spain could now be numbered.

Under club president Florentino Perez, Madrid’s galacticos are expected to make noise and generate revenues both on and off the pitch. But at the official ‘open media day’ last Tuesday, €101 million man Bale was kept well away from the press pack, while Cristiano Ronaldo, Sergio Ramos and others spent the day doing numerous interviews with different outlets.

Bale only spoke with his club’s official TV station — and that was a quick stilted chat in which he replied in English to questions asked in Spanish. The result was to underline how out of place he can still look in Madrid, even five years after arriving.