Gareth Bale should not be in Real Madrid's best XI, according to a poll conducted by local media, while the forward is a doubt for Saturday's La Liga game at home to Real Betis due to a toe problem.
Bale has struggled to win over some fans and pundits at the Bernabeu, despite his Copa del Rey and Champions League final goals during his first season at the club, and his place in the team has again become a matter of intense focus following Madrid's 0-0 La Liga season opener at Sporting Gijon last Sunday evening.
New Madrid coach Rafa Benitez fielded the former Spurs player in a roving No. 10 position through preseason to limited success, and even after just one competitive game of the new campaign there have been reported rumblings of discontent at Rafa's preferred system from other Galacticos Cristiano Ronaldo and James Rodriguez.
Madrid-based newspaper AS asked readers to vote on what was their favoured lineup -- 20,689 people voted in the poll on its website and 8,088 (39.09 percent) picked the Welshman. The most popular team had Karim Benzema and Isco, along with Ronaldo and James, in the four attacking positions.
Benzema missed the trip to Sporting last weekend through injury, but the France international has returned to training with his colleagues, while Bale was unable to take a full part in Wednesday's session due to a toe problem.
"Real Madrid have completed their second training session of the week as they continue to prepare for Saturday's La Liga clash against Real Betis at the Santiago Bernabeu," a Madrid club statement said.
"Karim Benzema worked with the group for the duration of the session, while Gareth Bale, who is carrying a knock on his left big toe, did individual running out on the training pitch."
The issue does not look too serious, however, with Bale himself tweeting after training that he was on the mend and suggesting he would be fine to play against Betis.
Toe feeling better today! @realmadrid Looking forward to the weekend #halamadrid pic.twitter.com/4UOMOmLltd
- Gareth Bale (@GarethBale11) August 26, 2015
The meaning of another tweet from the Madrid camp was less clear -- with James' message taken by the local media to be a sign the €80 million Colombia international had not been happy to be named as a sub at Sporting last weekend.
Mejor que nunca ! Better than ever ? pic.twitter.com/9fl6ru5sPq
- James Rodríguez (@jamesdrodriguez) August 26, 2015
The situation at the Bernabeu could also be affected as sources have told ESPN FC that Manchester United are ready to make a huge offer to bring Bale back to the Premier League, and hoping to use Madrid's long-standing interest in goalkeeper David De Gea to push a deal through.
Wales coach Chris Coleman has heard the reports, but told the BBC that he could not see such a huge transfer being done at this point.
"I don't see it [the transfer] happening," Coleman said. "You never know but I've not heard anything. The finances involved for signing a player like that are astronomical. I see the media speculation, of course, but that's a major, major deal -- another world record if he was going to move. I can't see anything happening. I've not heard anything."