Gareth Bale Beginning To Emerge At Last But Real Madrid Need To Improve
Real Madrid just managed to see of Manchester City as Gareth Bale showed once again he is in his best moment at the club.
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By Andreas Vou (@AndreasVou89)
Real Madrid did just about enough to see off Manchester City on Wednesday, but they have yet to inspire in the knockout phase and will need step up a gear if they want to repeat their 2014 success over Atletico Madrid.
It is almost as if Zinedine Zidane’s side have sneaked into the Champions League final and nobody is quite sure how, with unconvincing showings in the knockout phase against team’s far from their level.
Following a cagey display from both sides in the first leg, the decisive encounter at the Santiago Bernabeu was hardly the authoritative, commanding display one expects from Los Blancos on such occasions. Had the English side not been so cautious in their approach, the ten-time champions could have been under threat.
An own goal from Fernando after 20 minutes separated the two sides in what was a far cry from the classic tie that was anticipated when the draw was made, and one has to question whether Madrid would have made the final had it not been for rather kind draws along the way.
The poor start under Rafa Benitez made it anything but easy for Zidane to mold a perfect side in such a short space of time yet, on the other hand, this team does not stand out as one of the best on the continent.
The big plus for Madrid in recent weeks has been the resurgence of Gareth Bale who has come to the fore at the ideal time of the season. The Welshman has had a stop-start season due to a number of injuries but, in his latest return to the first team, he has shown his capabilities of becoming Real Madrid’s leader, as was initially envisioned when he arrived at the club.
It was Bale’s cross-shot that was deflected into his own net by Fernando that put Madrid through to the final on Wednesday. While there was an element of fortune about the goal, the purpose and drive with which he has been performing have helped the team remain in the league title fight as well as a step away from an eleventh European Cup.
The nature of Bale’s recent late winners away to Rayo Vallecano, after being two goals down, and at Real Sociedad showed an attitude which suggest he is ready to become the main man at the club. Both of those victories were in the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo, and while it is not to say that the Portuguese forward is finished, there is a need to alleviate the dependency from his ageing shoulders.
Toni Kroos and Luka Modric were arguably the best players on the field on Wednesday against City, dictating play and proving far too savvy for their midfield counterparts. And while the center of the park was being cared for by their brilliant duo, it was Bale who was the most explosive threat in the final third throughout the encounter.
The 26-year-old was the protagonist in Madrid’s best moment’s going forward, from his burst beyond the lines for the first goal, his header which crashed off the cross bar and his superb pass to pick out Modric all alone in the box. Bale now looks confident and rejuvenated, characteristics which had been lacking previously.
While Madrid as a whole fail to inspire, Bale’s rise in recent weeks instills renewed confidence both for the crucial final that lies ahead as well as the long-term future.