Jose Mourinho says Real Madrid need to answer questions on Gareth Bale's Tottenham fitness struggles

ByTNT Sports

Updated 03/03/2021 at 17:26 GMT

The Wales star had his most influential game for Spurs in the 4-0 win over Burnley, but he has not featured regularly for Tottenham since making a return to the north London club on loan from Real Madrid last year. Bale will be involved when Spurs face Fulham on Thursday, with Mourinho confident over his fitness

Gareth Bale (Tottenham)

Image credit: Getty Images

Jose Mourinho has said Real Madrid should be asked questions over Gareth Bale’s lack of regular playing time at Tottenham.

Bale returned to Spurs on loan from Real Madrid last year, but has been a bit-part player for much of the campaign.

The Wales star had his most influential game for Spurs in the 4-0 win over Burnley on Sunday, as he scored twice and created another goal, and Mourinho feels questions about Bale’s condition should be directed at Real.

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"Why for the past two years he had what he had in Madrid,” Mourinho said when asked about the time it has taken Bale to get fit. “Ask them. Maybe if they answer to you, you can understand better why it took a while, or maybe to be patient was the main reason for him to reach the level that he showed in the last couple of weeks.”

Bale will be involved when Spurs face Fulham on Thursday, with Mourinho confident the 31-year-old can cope with two games a week.

“Start the game, being on the bench, I don’t know,” Mourinho said. “We have to decide. He’s such an experienced guy that of course his opinion is very important.

But good reaction, good recovery sessions. He will be involved. I repeat, bench or starting, but he will be there.

Giovani Lo Celso will not feature, with Mourinho not prepared to take any risks with a player who has not figured since before Christmas on account of a hamstring injury.

"He is training with the team but it was a big injury,” Mourinho said. “We are not going to risk yet. In fact we don’t want to risk, we want to bring him to the team and to competition when there is no risk.