Carlo Ancelotti says Gareth Bale will be fit for the Champions League final in Paris and insists the Welshman "wanted to say farewell" to the club's fans before his upcoming departure.
Bale was left out of the matchday squad for his side's final league game of the season on Friday night, which saw Real draw 0-0 at with Betis at the Bernabeu. Bale was nowhere to be seen, with Ancelotti saying the 32-year-old's absence was due to a lack of match fitness.
In contrast, Madrid star Marcelo was afforded a hero's send-off on what was his final domestic appearance for the club, with the Brazilian given a standing ovation when he entered the pitch in the second half.
After the game, players and staff applauded the supporters and walked around the Bernabeu, with Bale not there to say goodbye to fans.
Post match, the Italian boss was clearly hopeful the Wales star will be available for next weekend's showdown with Liverpool in the Champions League final.
And he hinted Bale could yet be handed the chance for one last hurrah.
When asked about Bale's absence, Ancelotti said: “He wasn't on the bench tonight because he wasn't fit. He wanted to say farewell to the fans here at the stadium. He's got one last chance because he'll be fit for the final.”
In the build-up to the Betis game, Ancelotti urged supporters to give the Wales skipper the send-off he deserved.
“Everyone knows that Bale’s contract is ending and that he says goodbye to Real Madrid this year," he said.
“It’s not important if he plays. What’s important is Bale is a part of the history of this club. He’ll always be in the memories of Real Madrid fans.”
Ancelotti added: “He was very important to the Decima (their 10th Champions League title) and the Copa del Rey final.
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“He has written some great chapters for this club, it is important we recognise that.”
Ancelotti's comments after the Betis match leave the door open for Bale to recreate his heroics in Kyiv, where he came off the bench to score twice in a 2-1 win over Jurgen Klopp's men to hand Real a 13th Champions League title back in 2018.
But whether he gets the chance to step out in the white of Real again or not, Bale is facing up to a massive few weeks, with the chance to lead his side to a first World Cup since 1958 looming large. Wales take on either Scotland or Ukraine at Cardiff City Stadium on June 5 in a play-off final of gargantuan proportions.
The significance of reaching the finals in Qatar clearly hasn't been lost on boss Rob Page, who has already suggested Wales may well bring their skipper into camp early if Real choose not to take him to France.
"We will keep in touch with him. It's common sense isn't it if he is not going to feature at all and Real Madrid are happy with releasing him then of course we would like him on camp," Page said.
"They don't have to. We don't have to have the players (officially) until the 30th so we can't pull rank on that.
"We just have to go with what they suggest. And rightly so because he's employed by the club at the end of the day. If there's an opportunity to get players in earlier then we would like that."
