Saturday 28 May 2016 20:23, UK
The 2014/15 campaign was one to forget for Gareth Bale but he is back on track and bidding for his second Champions League winners' medal in three years at Real Madrid, writes Nick Wright...
On a tense night at the Bernabeu a little over a year ago, Real Madrid's hopes of reaching a second consecutive Champions League final were hanging precariously in the balance. The Spanish giants needed a goal to force extra-time against Juventus, but their European dream ended with Gareth Bale spurning a string of scoring chances. From seven shots he managed to hit the target with just one.
It was the nadir of a difficult second season for Bale, whose impressive debut campaign felt like a distant memory as fans and the Spanish press turned on the under-performing forward. Expectations at Real Madrid are like nowhere else, and Bale's stay in Spain was descending into a nightmare under the constant scrutiny that accompanied his £85m transfer.
This season has been another reminder of how quickly the picture can change in the Real Madrid pressure cooker. Bale has re-established himself as a key player alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, and from his lowest ebb against Juventus last year, he can join a list of just five British players to win two Champions Leagues in Saturday's final. At 26, he would also be the youngest to achieve the feat.
It is fitting that Atletico Madrid are the opponents again. It was Bale's extra-time goal that swung the 2014 final in Real's favour as they clinched La Decima, and he approaches this year's meeting in fine form. Goals against Rayo Vallecano and Real Sociedad kept Madrid's La Liga title challenge alive until the final day, and the newspapers and fans who once chastised him now cherish his contribution.
The turnaround was far from straightforward. Bale had work to do to win over his critics at the start of the season, but he found a supporter in Rafael Benitez in the first half of the campaign and he has thrived under Zinedine Zidane since.
"Bale feels the confidence of Zidane but more than that he actually feels that Ronaldo sees him as a star, not just a friend of the president," said Guillem Balague after Bale netted a hat-trick in Zidane's first game in charge. "That's the biggest thing that's happened to Gareth Bale."
A calf injury stalled his progress between January and March, but an overall total of 19 goals in just 23 La Liga appearances gave him a faster scoring rate than Lionel Messi. There were 10 assists, too. They are his best numbers since his arrival from Tottenham, and Zidane has used the words "spectacular" and "phenomenal" to describe his recent displays.
Bale, for his part, has been similarly complimentary to his manager. The Welshman was one of few Madrid players to be disappointed by Benitez's departure in January, but he is enjoying life at the club more than ever under Zidane, and he is also enjoying greater responsibility on the pitch.
"He's come in and given us that freedom to enjoy ourselves on the pitch," he said recently. "As a player, you like to play that way and he's instilled that confidence in the team that we can go out and express ourselves. That's brought the best out of us."
Bale has settled in the city, too. "I'm happy," he said on Spanish radio on Wednesday. "Coming to another country is difficult, especially for the British people. I feel like it has taken time to settle in and learn the language. But my family is happy, I am happy and ultimately that is making my football better. Hopefully that can continue and we can win more titles in the future."
Atletico, of course, are about as tough as it gets for Bale and his team-mates. Diego Simeone's well-organised side have dominated their more illustrious neighbours over the last two years, with Real winning just one of 10 meetings since the 2014 Champions League final. The run has included five defeats for Los Blancos, including a devastating 4-0 thrashing in La Liga in February 2015.
Saturday's encounter will be another stern test as the two sides compete for the coveted silverware, but Bale is certainly better-placed than last year to make another big impact. His Real Madrid career has already seen soaring highs and crushing lows, but having recovered from that painful night against Juventus, the stage is set for Bale to create more Champions League history.
