Wales boss Giggs points finger at Real Madrid as Bale substituted at half-time

Ryan Giggs says the decision to substitute Gareth Bale at half-time of Wales’ UEFA Nations League win in Finland was a pre-planned one.

Bale was replaced by Liverpool’s Harry Wilson after 45 minutes of the League B clash in Helsinki when the score was goalless.

But Wales went on to earn a victory in their Nations League opener when Cardiff City forward Kieffer Moore scored his third international goal for the game’s solitary strike 10 minutes from time.

Moore was on hand to turn home a low cross from Manchester United’s Daniel James having had an early header from a James cross disallowed for a push on a defender.

James was Wales’ most potent attacking outlet as Bale struggled to get to grips with the game throughout his 45 minute appearance, with Giggs claiming that his substitution was agreed due to a lack of football in recent months.

“It was a gritty performance, not our usual flowing football but Finland made it difficult for us. It’s the kind of game we can learn from,” Giggs – who gave senior international debuts to Manchester United midfielder Dylan Levitt, Liverpool’s Neco Williams and Swansea’s Ben Cabango – told reporters.

“We take the pluses because we dug out a result and with a clean sheet we’ve always got a chance.

“Gareth Bale, it was planned for him to come off at half-time, he’s had no football at all. He was always going to get 45 minutes.”

Bale has only played 100 minutes for the Real since February having been largely frozen out by Zinedine Zidane.

He does still have two years left on his contract in the Spanish capital, although he remains at a stand-off with his club, who have been challenged to pay-off his deal.

The former Tottenham man says he’s open to a move this summer, perhaps even back to the Premier League, telling Sky Sports: “We’ll see what happens.

“It’s in the club’s hands and they make things very difficult to be honest. If those options arise, it’s something I’d look at for sure.”

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