Daily Schmankerl: Bale speaks; Vidal dropping hints on Instagram; and MORE!

Looks like a two horse race for Champions League hero Gareth Bale (The Telegraph)

Gareth Bale is still stinging form being left on the bench to start the Champions League finale.

I was very disappointed not to start the game. I felt like maybe I deserved to start. I have been playing well since … well, since Christmas, really. Anyone would be disappointed not to start a final. The most important thing is that I know how to be professional and when you come on you need to try to make an impact and I did that.

The Telegraph broke down Bale’s connections to both Manchester United and Bayern Munich.

Manchester United made a late effort to sign Bale before he joined Real from Tottenham Hotspur in 2013 – and even bid more for the Welsh international who cost the Spanish giants £85million. United left it too late but offered more than £100million and made it clear that if Bale ever wanted to come back to England they would like to speak to him.

Bayern are an intriguing possibility given sources close to Bale have indicated that it should not be assumed he would return to the Premier League once his time at Real is over. He also gave a strategic interview to a German publication, Sport Bild, prior to Real’s Champions League semi-final against Bayern this season in which he spoke of being flattered by their potential interest. The finances would be astonishing given Bale’s wages and the fact he is contracted to Real until 2022.

Bale is now essentially doing exactly what he did during the 3-1 win over Liverpool and that is capitalizing on the moment.

Personally I feel like I should be playing week-in week-out and I haven’t been. I’ve been doing well, scoring goals, but I haven’t been playing as much as I would like so, as I said, I am going to have to sit down over the summer and seriously consider what we do next. I got over my ankle injury just around Christmas; it took until then to fully recover and now I feel like I am getting stronger, getting better, and that I have a lot more left to give. That’s why I feel like I need to be playing week-in week-out – that’s what I need to do.

Vidal dropping hints to his future on social media? (Calciomercato)

With each passing day it seems less and less likely that Arturo Vidal will return to Munich. Now it seems, the Chilean midfield terror is leaving hints on Instagram regarding what the future may hold.

Arturo Vidal has offered himself to Juventus, as the Chilean midfielder has asked his agent to initiate talks with the Turin based side, which was revealed by Calciomercato.com. Yet another indication of the desire of Vidal to join the Bianconeri arrives on social media. On Instagram, Vidal liked a comment on one of his photos which said: “We are waiting for you at Juve!!”. It seems that a transfer, in fact, could materialize this summer, at least the will exists from the player.

Using social media to drop passive aggressive hints on your future as a pro athlete is so....NBA.

Corentin Tolisso spoke about his season at Bayern and the World Cup (L’Equipe)

Corentin Tolisso had a good first season in Munich and looks like he could be a key part of next generation of Bayern’s roster. When asked about how the season evolved when the team transitioned from Carlo Ancelotti to Jupp Heynckes, Tolisso indicated that even though he played less, he was still happy with his performance.

I feel good. Compared to last year, I played less. It went well with the two coaches (Carlo Ancelotti then Jupp Heynckes). When the new coach arrived, it was said that it was less good for me, but we had spoken before and I knew that if I did good things in training, I would have my chance. In the second half of the season, I’m happy with my playing time and my performances.

When it comes to the World Cup, Tolisso gained a little insight from teammate Franck Ribery during his talks with the veteran over the course of the year.

He told me a lot about the 2006 World Cup. I asked him a lot of questions. He played with players like Zidane, Vieira or Makelele. I was only twelve years old, it’s the first one I really remember. He told me how it went for him. He told me that a World Cup was really an exceptional moment.

France, which has an exceptionally deep and talented roster, has high goals for the World Cup according to Tolisso.

Go as far as possible. We know it. All players want to go far. I think we have the capacity and the potential to make it happen. We will have to work. It depends only on us.

Matthijs De Ligt is wanted by many teams, including Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund (Kicker)

Bayern has LONG been interested in Dutch center back Matthijs De Ligt, but so are Borussia Dortmund and FC Barcelona among others.

Defensive shooting star Matthijs De Ligt (18) has played at Ajax Amsterdam through outstanding performances in the focus, also the BVB has extended his feelers. Jan Leerkes, as a Kicker correspondent in the Netherlands, describes him as the “greatest defensive talent of the past ten years” and “in every respect” as outstanding. De Ligt’s contract will run until 2021, plus one year option. With over 40 million euros transfer fee he remains for BVB probably just a dream.

As Kicker states, it’s probably just a “dream” for BVB, but Bayern and the other heavyweights will have to pony up “40 million euros” to the phenom in the fold.

Stay classy...(@BBCSport)