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Gareth Bale as he scores against Atlético.
Time to Bale out?

Time to Bale out?

A return to England looks to be on the cards for both Luis Suárez and Gareth Bale this summer

Rob Palmer

Friday, 1 March 2019, 12:39

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It may be wise for Luis Suárez and Gareth Bale to take a moment to take stock and savour Wednesday nights Clásico carnival as theres a very good chance that this will be the last for both the sell-by date is fast approaching.

Though the diminutive Uruguayan took centre stage with his brace, the two imports from the English Premier League are both battling their demons and its likely the demons are going to win.

Suárezs overall stats are still good, but age is catching up with him and it looks like his days are numbered at the Camp Nou.

Overall, hes scored 19 goals in 35 games, but the figures flatter him. Hed gone five games without scoring until last weekend against Sevilla and he looks a shadow of the player who used to strike fear into defenders. Now he looks sluggish and looks every one of his 32 years - even if he can still execute a perfect Panenka penalty.

Stories have dropped in Spanish newspaper outlets of interest from Manchester United. Im sure there will be a link with Liverpool to follow. This is what happens when a players agent, or indeed his club, are seeking an exit strategy. Its possible that he will stay but Barcelona need a fresh young striker to at least share duties with Suárez and unburden him.

He can swap notes with the visibly unsettled Gareth Bale. It appears that the Wales internationals exit is imminent. Its well documented that he struggles to speak Spanish but he has been communicating his feelings quite clearly in recent weeks.

When he scored the winner against Levante he swatted away the celebration from his team mate Lucas Vázquez; this follows rude gestures following his significant goal against Atlético. Hes clearly upset at being benched for three successive games; in fact he hasnt completed 90 minutes in La Liga since November.

Stories have been circulating about the lack of harmony in the changing room. Marcelo, whose locker is next to Bales, revealed that they dont converse due to his lack of Spanish. He can speak to former Chelsea star Thibaut Courtois in English, but relations may be frosty after the goalkeeper revealed that Bales nickname is The Golfer as that is his preoccupation. It was also reported that Bale prefers an early night to a late-night team bonding meal with team mates.

I suspect he will be packing his four Champions League medals into a suitcase this summer and heading back to a league where he can communicate with work pals - well most of them anyway!

One player who is going nowhere and appears to be defying the ageing process is Lionel Messi. Its remarkable that his 50th career hat-trick was just a footnote when he humbled Sevilla. Now aged 31 hed be forgiven if his powers were diminishing but they remain very much intact. Yet again the number of goals hes scored outnumbers the games hes played in.

While stories will be leaked of Suárez and Bale heading back to the Premier League, Messi is going nowhere!

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