The statistics show Gareth Bale is no 'ball hog' at Real Madrid
Thursday 22 January 2015 11:28, UK
After Gareth Bale was booed for failing to pass to Cristiano Ronaldo, we look at whether his 'ball hog' tag is fair...
‘Cristiano and the Bernabeu angry with ball hog Bale.’ That was the withering headline in Spanish newspaper AS on January 16, the day after Real Madrid cruised to a 3-0 win against Espanyol.
It should have been a result to celebrate for the Primera leaders, having recovered from successive defeats to Valencia and rivals Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey, but there was one incident that left a bitter taste.
It came in the 72nd minute, with Carlo Ancelotti’s side already commanding a comfortable 2-0 lead. As Gareth Bale raced clear of the visitors’ defence, Cristiano Ronaldo screamed for the ball in the centre, hoping to sign off before his big night at the Ballon d’Or with his 34th goal of a remarkable season.
Instead, the Welshman dragged a poor effort wide of the post, prompting a petulant outburst from his team-mate and a chorus of boos from the stands.
If he weren’t already accustomed to the fickle nature of Real Madrid’s support, Bale might have been puzzled by the response. Earlier in the match, he had played a wonderful cross-field pass to Ronaldo in the build-up to James Rodriguez’s opening strike, before scoring a brilliant free-kick to put his team firmly in control.
Running full pelt at Kiko Casilla’s goal - and with a defender between him and Ronaldo - Bale was perfectly entitled to take the shot.
"Later on the fans wanted him to pass to Cristiano but forwards are determined to score when they are through on the goalkeeper," said Ancelotti afterwards. "Generosity is very important and if someone is being selfish then we will address it. The supporters are very demanding when it comes to the important players and Bale is one of those. We shouldn't blow this out of proportion. It's one moment in a football game.”
The stats suggest there should be no doubts over Bale’s willingness to pass to Ronaldo. In the 1,215 minutes the pair have played together in La Liga this season, the winger has played the ball to his team-mate on 52 occasions, with 46 passes coming in the opposite direction. Although Ronaldo was quick to complain against Espanyol, Bale can point to this compelling evidence in his defence.
Last season’s numbers also dismiss any claims of Bale being the greedy one in the partnership. In the 1,486 minutes he played alongside Ronaldo, the 25-year-old passed to his Portuguese team-mate 45 times, while receiving only 27 passes in return. Not only does Bale pass to Ronaldo more often than he receives the ball from his team-mate but, despite the Bernabeu boos, he has actually increased the frequency of his supply in the current campaign.
It is perhaps for this reason that Ronaldo moved to quell rumours of a rift after venting his frustration. “I think the things with Gaz are normal because they (the fans) know that Gaz is a very important player for us, a key player,” he said. "What happened on Saturday is in the past, sometimes I make mistakes too so it's part of the business, part of football. I think the people will be nice with him and they should be nice with him."
Ronaldo may realise he should be nicer than most. Since Bale’s arrival in the summer of 2013, no Real Madrid player has provided more assists to the three-time World Player of the Year. In total, Bale has played the final pass for Ronaldo on nine occasions, but the favour has been returned only once – in the 2-1 win at Malaga last November.
That may persuade supporters to reassess their opinion of ‘ball hog’ Bale, with Ancelotti hoping to draw a line under the matter. "Relations between them and everyone are very good,” he said. “We are all pursuing the same goal which is to lift Real Madrid as high as possible."
If that goal is to be achieved, then Bale's supply line to Ronaldo could prove crucial as the season progresses.
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