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Gareth Bale cares more about Wales than Real Madrid, says Israel boss

Gareth Bale in action for Real Madrid against Schalke
Image: Gareth Bale: In action for Real Madrid against Schalke

Israel coach Eli Guttman has claimed Gareth Bale cares more about Wales than Real Madrid ahead of his side's European qualifier against Chris Coleman’s side.

Guttman's claim comes after Bale was made the scapegoat for Real Madrid’s current poor form with the £85.3m world-record signing being booed by his own fans at the Bernabeu.

The European champions suffered their fifth defeat of 2015 when they lost 4-3 at home to Schalke on Tuesday night.

That was still enough for Real to progress to the quarter-finals of the Champions League 5-4 on aggregate, but it did not spare the players from the wrath of their angry supporters, who waved white handerkerchiefs - the traditional symbol of disgust at a bad performance.

Guttman has now waded into the issue by insisting Bale is saving his best for Wales' visit to Israel on March 28, when the top two sides in Group B meet in Haifa.

"I feel that Bale is saving himself for the national team," Guttman told sports.walla.co.il. "The level of the miles he does and the level of his commitment to the national team is nothing like how he plays for Real Madrid.

"When they had a player injured [George Williams, who revealed he is out for six months after requiring knee ligament surgery] Bale was the first to [tweet] 'get well soon'.

"They are like us, they are one group, but Bale is the one that gives them balance."

Israel and Wales are the early surprise front-runners in Group B and Guttman admits stopping Bale is the key to Israel staying top

"We have to be close and don't let Bale empty space. If we won't do it, it will kill us," he said.

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