Gareth Bale has insisted that he 'would understand' if he started the 2017 Champions League final on the bench.

The Welshman returned to first-team training for Real Madrid last week, but the attacker has not played a minute of football since aggravating a calf injury against Barcelona on April 23.

Isco has thrived in Bale's absence, and it has been reported that the Spaniard will be given the nod to start alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema against Juventus in Cardiff on June 3.

Bale has declared himself 'fully fit' for the final in Wales, but the former Tottenham Hotspur attacker claims that he 'would not be disappointed' if he was only named on the bench against the Italian champions.

"I feel very good, I'm fully recovered and I'm ready. I've been doing my rehab, the double sessions, all the hard work to be fit for this game and I have to keep going now," Bale told reporters.

"I would have been disappointed if I could not make it to the final and that's why have given everything to get in shape, but I wouldn't be disappointed if I am not a starter."

Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane has claimed that Bale could play alongside Isco in the Los Blancos attack this weekend.

Written by
Matt Law