Real Madrid: Gareth Bale the only player absent from title party after missing Espanyol win

Gareth Bale was the only player absent from Real Madrid’s title party at the Bernabeu after missing their 4-0 win over Espanyol with a back injury.

Madrid were crowned LaLiga champions with four games to spare on Saturday after beating Vicente Moreno’s side, having gone into the game needing just a point to wrap up the title.

Rodrygo’s early double put the champagne on ice for them by the half-time break, before goals from Marco Asensio and Karim Benzema after the interval sealed the title triumph.

Gareth Bale was the only player absent from Real Madrid’s LaLiga title party at the Bernabeu

Marcelo then lifted the Spanish title aloft in joyous scenes at the Bernabeu, but there was no sign of Bale during their coronation.

The Welshman, who is set to end his unharmonious relationship with Los Blancos when his contract expires this summer, was ruled out of Saturday’s game with a back problem and decided against attending. 

H e was the only Madrid star missing from their title celebrations, choosing to stay at home instead of joining in the party.

However, Ancelotti is said to have stressed after the victory that Bale missed their title lift as he ‘cannot move’ due to pain in his back.

Madrid were crowned Spanish champions on Saturday after claiming a 4-0 win vs Espanyol

And Bale, who missed out with a back injury, was the only player absent from the title party

Bale then took to Twitter to insist a ‘bad back spasm’ prevented him from making the trip to the Bernabeu, expressing his disappointment to have missed the celebrations.

‘So disappointed that I’m not able to be part of the celebrations this evening due to a bad back spasm but really proud of the team for winning the title! Enjoy tonight boys! #HalaMadrid’.

The Spanish press took aim at Bale earlier in the season when he inspired Wales to victory on international duty after missing 13 games for Los Blancos due to injury.

Marca controversially labelled the former Tottenham man a ‘parasite’, accusing him of ‘sucking’ Madrid’s money while seeing out the remainder of his contract.

Bale then hit back at the publication on social media, branding their report ‘malicious’ and claiming such stories could tip athletes ‘over the edge’.  

The Welshman is set to end his unharmonious relationship with Real when his contract expires

He wrote: ‘At a time when people are taking their own lives because of the callousness and relentlessness of the media, I want to know, who is holding these journalists and the news outlets that allow them to write articles like this, accountable?

‘Fortunately I have developed a thick skin during my time in the public spotlight, but that doesn’t mean articles like these don’t cause damage and upset personally and professionally to those at the receiving end of these malicious stories. I have witnessed the toll the media can take on people’s mental and physical health.

‘The media expect superhuman performances from professional athletes, and will be the first to celebrate with them when they deliver, yet instead of commiserating with them when they show an ounce of human error, they are torn to shreds instead, encouraging anger and disappointment in their fans.

‘The everyday pressures on athletes is immense, and it’s as clear as day, how negative media attention could easily send an already stressed athlete, or anybody in the public eye over the edge.’