Reports in the English press suggested that Gareth Bale's move to Tottenham Hotspur could take place today, but Zinedine Zidane stepped up to deny such claims in his pre-match press conference.

Speaking before the Madrid Derby, Zidane ruled out the chance to see Bale leaving the club today, mainly because he feels he will be crucial for the club during the last months of the season.

"Bale is with us today and I am going to rely on him for the remainder of the season. I am not considering that possibility," Zidane briefly stated.

But even if he decided to keep Bale around for the rest of the season, Zidane left the Welshman out of the Madrid derby, especially since he has not been able to play in the last couple of weeks due to a respiratory problem and a fresh ankle injury.

¡Los 19 convocados para el partido ante el @Atleti!#RealMadridAtleti | #RMLiga pic.twitter.com/daX4LuWPqB

— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) January 31, 2020

Zidane's decision to leave Bale out of the squad came after this presser, but you can hint in his word what he planned to do.

"When you have 25 players and you need to choose 18 for a game, it's obvious that some will be left out. That's the thing a coach can't avoid. All you can hope for is that your players are focused and ready when you need them around," Zidane concluded.