ZestVib

HECTOR BELLERIN paraded a shin-long snake tattoo as Real Madrid wriggled off the hook against his Arsenal side.

The Spain right-back showed off a twisting serpent on his right leg as Real won 3-2 on penalties following a 2-2 International Champions Cup draw in Washington.

Perhaps Bellerin was celebrating edging closer to fitness for the Gunners' Premier League opener at Newcastle on August 11 after a knee injury sustained last January.

And in fact he had already outed his inking on the Louis Vuitton Paris catwalk in mid-June when he wore a pink outfit about as subtle as the £3million car collection team-mate Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has assembled since joining Arsenal in January 2018.

Bellerin is still not quite ready for starting action as Arsenal warm up for the Prem in the USA.

But far from having a hissing fit over his injury, the 24-year-old has knuckled down over the summer and is looking sharp.

And despite interest from Atletico Madrid, the Barcelona youth product seems certain to stay at the Emirates after stating "What can I say man, North London is home" in a video last month to promote Arsenal's new kit.

ARSENAL NEWS

Bellerin watched on in Maryland as Alexandre Lacazette's penalty and Aubameyang's thumping finish put Unai Emery's men 2-0 up after Real full-back Naco saw red.

But unsettled Bernabeu frontman Gareth Bale transformed Arsenal's latest pre-season game with a venomous contribution off the bench.

Gunners' centre-back Sokratis was sent off before lively Bale and Marco Asensio took the match to a shootout won by Zinedine Zidane's side.

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