Under-fire Wales star Gareth Bale has likened the life of a footballer to that of a robot.
The Real Madrid winger is coming under increasing scrutiny as he continues to be frozen out by manager Zinedine Zidane - with the situation escalating on the weekend as the Frenchman left Bale on the bench in their 2-0 defeat to Real Betis.
And while Bale's comments were not in direct relation to his predicament in Spain, they will do little to fan the flames of unrest amongst fans and media in the Spanish capital.
Spanish outlet AS have reported that the 29-year-old discussed the pressures placed upon professional footballers in an upcoming BT Sports Films documentary called State of Play.
“As a professional athlete, particularly in a team environment, you can’t choose your own timetable like in golf or tennis," said the Welshman.
"It’s like we’re basically just robots. We’re told where to be, when to be there, what time we have to eat, what time we have to report for the coach.
"It’s as though you lose your freedom in a way.
“You can’t decide what you want to do and when you want to do it.
“So in that sense, I can totally understand why people say that. But on the other hand, I think that a career in football is so short that you have to sacrifice those things.
"When you’re a kid, you don’t so much going on in your head, you can just play with your mates and have a laugh.
"When you become a professional there are all types of pressure, of expectation, of people saying negative things about you all the time, and you lose that feeling you had as a kid.”
Bale's future at the Bernabeu remains uncertain - with it clear that Zidane wants rid this summer.
It appears that the club themselves are ready to part ways with Bale after six years, but his massive wages - earning £350,000 after tax - could be a stumbling block for any team looking to acquire his services this summer.
Premier League clubs Manchester United and Tottenham have been constantly linked, while French outfit PSG have also been mentioned in dispatches.
