Allen baffled by Bale's lack of action

Bale became Wales' all-time record goalscorer with a hat-trick against China in the China Cup last week and is gearing up to face Uruguay in the final on Monday.

Speaking ahead of that game, Stoke City midfielder Allen said he was "baffled" by Bale's peripheral role for 'Los Blancos', with the former Totttenham man having fallen behind the likes of Marco Asensio and Lucas Vazquez in the pecking order of late.

"As a team-mate it is baffling really," Allen explained. "The team he plays for have an array of superstars and he will be disappointed but I'm sure it is only a matter of time before he'll be back starting and playing regularly, and doing for them what he always does for us."

Bale played just 36 minutes across two legs of Real's Champions League triumph over PSG, but Allen is confident that his compatriot can go on to set a fine goalscoring record for Wales.

"If you look at Gaz's age, 28, he is going to have plenty of time to extend that record now and hopefully it will stand for a while," he added. "You know he is going to get a lot more goals and it is going to take something pretty special to ever beat it.

"He's in the peak of his powers. We're hoping as teammates that he will keep doing the business. I'm sure he is an ambitious guy who will have an eye on that."