Real Madrid Prepare for Man City Clash - While Gareth Bale, Naturally, Plays Golf in Madrid

Ahhhhh Gareth Bale doing Gareth Bale things once again. Don't you just love it?

Yep, while his Real teammates plot how to overturn their 2-1 defeat to Manchester City in their Champions League first leg tie - whenever that was - Bale has been papped by the Spanish press doing the one thing that makes him happy.

Wales. Golf. Madrid. In that order.

And on this particular occasion, it's the golf course taking centre stage again. Spanish TV station El Chiringuito, because of course they did, spotted him as he enjoyed a game with some pals, chillaxing and relaxing instead of worrying about any Champions League nonsense.

So you may be wondering why's he not in Manchester with the rest of his teammates. Well, in his press conference ahead of this evening's game, manager Zinedine Zidane admitted that he held a conversation with the 30-year-old and it was mutually agreed that he wouldn't travel - because he wouldn't be playing.

While it's been a sad sight to see for football fans around the world, watching one of the best footballers on the planet rot on the bench during his peak years, the Welshman himself doesn't seem too stressed about it.

Bale and the Real Madrid bench has become a bit of a cultural phenomenon at this point, and he's shown that he's more than aware of it in recent weeks. At the start of July, Bale used a face mask as an eye mask and pretended to go to sleep for cameras when he wasn't substituted on against Alaves.

The following game, Bale was seen cupping his hand and using a roll of wrist tape to pretend to be looking through a pair of binoculars on the bench, in the latest effort to keep himself entertained. And while some may find an issue with this, he certainly doesn't.

Some say he's scouting out potential different golf courses across Spain...

For new football fans, it's probably hard to believe that Bale was arguably the best footballer on the planet at one point in the early 2010s. Clearly not fancied by manager Zidane, he was close to an exit from Real last summer with a last-minute move to China. The deal fell through, however, and Bale has looked absolutely devastated ever since. Devastated.

It's fair to say that since his move in 2013, Bale has perhaps been the biggest heel on the planet whenever he's stepped out onto the pitch at the Santiago Bernabeu. Yes, even bigger than Brock Lesnar whenever he decides to be a part-time WWE Champion.

No matter who is to blame - be it himself or the fans - Bale needs to cut ties with Madrid and get back to doing what he does best. No, not golf. Football. (Although saying that, with the practice he's had, Bale is probably a better golfer than a footballer these days).

No, your eyes do not deceive you. That is Gareth Bale, actually playing football two years ago. Who would've thought?

If a club can convince him to move and put down the golf clubs, then maybe - just maybe - we can get glimpse of the Welsh wizard enjoying his football once again. For now though, let's enjoy his comedy bandwagon while it lasts.