Respected Spanish journalist Guillem Balague has claimed that Gareth Bale will struggle at Real Madrid until Cristiano Ronaldo departs the club.
Bale enjoyed an excellent first season at the Bernabeu – playing a key role in the club's Copa del Rey and Champions League success.
However, the Welshman has struggled this season and has been the subject of criticism from a large section of the Real Madrid supporters.
"Cristiano Ronaldo is the leader of the team, and the superstar if you like. It cannot be any other who has got the same freedom to do whatever he wants and not work defensively," Balague told Sky Sports News.
"I am pretty certain that the day Ronaldo leaves, Bale will become the star of Real Madrid. But while Ronaldo's there that's going to be hard to do."
Bale has been linked with a return to the Premier League, but the attacker's agent Jonathan Barnett has insisted that the 25-year-old will remain in Spain this summer.
Matt Law
