Cristiano Ronaldo’s transfer to Juventus has left a major hole in the Real Madrid attack, but could they already have a ready-made replacement in their squad?
After scoring twice in the 3-1 win against Liverpool in the Champions League final in May it was reported that Bale was seeking more first-team football after spending a lot of time on the bench for the Spanish giants last season.
But with Ronaldo and head coach Zinedine Zidane having since departed Madrid, AS believes that Bale is ready to step up in CR7’s place and become a key figure again at the Bernabeu.
While the incandescent skill of Marco Asensio, Isco, Luka Modric and Toni Kroos will continue to drive Los Blancos forward in 2018-19, Bale is emerging from beneath a cloud of injuries and mystery to show that he ought to be the one behind the wheel. The center-forward spot, currently kept warm by Karim Benzema, could be his. Either of the wing spots are available, too. It’s seemingly up to him as to what he wants to do.
Watching him in the first half of Tuesday night’s 2-1 victory over AS Roma in the International Champions Cup — in which he set up the first goal in brilliant fashion and calmly scored the second — one senses that the possibilities for this season have energized a player sorely in need of inspiration.
The opener, after just two minutes and following a half-hour delay due to inclement weather, showcased his ability to play provider. Finding Asensio in space on the right edge of the box with a perfectly weighted outside-of-the-boot pass, we saw the vision and technical ability that made him such a commodity.
Then came his turn to score: Dani Carvajal floated a long ball for the Wales international to chase, and once the ball was under his control, Bale was confident with his infield cut and delayed left-foot finish for Real’s second goal.
Though he was withdrawn after 56 minutes without making an impact in a sub-heavy second half, Bale had once again done enough to give his team another victory and some much-needed fluidity in attack.
Bale played a total of 149 minutes in Real’s three ICC matches, but two goals and one assist represented a tidy resumption of form for a player who made history in May’s Champions League final against Liverpool.
Any thoughts as to his suitability for Real should have been put to rest beyond that point, but a strong preseason following a summer of rest have shown him continue that game-changing form. While there’s still a sense of uncertainty as to whether club president Florentino Perez will make any moves in the wake of Ronaldo’s abrupt exit, there should be no such doubts about Bale.