Can Zidane rejuvenate the worst Bale seen at Real Madrid?

Gareth Bale is struggling again at Real Madrid.

The Welshman returned to the starting XI against Osasuna last weekend, but the didn't deliver his best performance for Los Blancos.

Leaving aside his off-field issues, Bale is enduring his worst season at Madrid and his performances have been well below the level he's shown in previous seasons.

While it's true that there's still plenty of time left in 2019/20, Bale hasn't shown any signs of replicating the form he showed in his earlier years at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu.

To date he's played just 16 games and only managed to score three goals, as well as providing two assists.

Now in his seventh season at Real Madrid, this year's figures are by far his worst.

Bale has had a great record with Real Madrid, winning LaLiga Santander, the Copa del Rey, two Supercopa de Espana titles, four Champions Leagues, three European Super Cups and four Club World Cups, totalling 15 titles in seven years.

Additionally, he also played an important role in two of those Champions Leagues, scoring in the Lisbon final against Atletico, as well as two goals in Kiev against Liverpool in the most recent of the European successes.

But this year things have changed.

It all started in the summer when he seemed destined to leave the club and Zinedine Zidane clearly wasn't counting on him.

Then there was an unexpected turn and he stayed at the club though and Zidane gave him a place in the team.

Bale has missed 13 games with injuries already, and Zidane has also left him out of his matchday squads on a number of occasions.

Of the 16 games he's played in, he's only played 90 minutes six times.

Zidane consistently defends him and says that he'll keep counting on the No.11, but his form doesn't suggest he should be in the team.

If the player's output doesn't change dramatically, and soon, Zidane will have to stop relying on him.