Gareth Bale has had an injury-plagued season thus far but does his return to the Club World Cup mean he is back to 100%?
Club World Cup Performance
Real Madrid was most definitely the more dominant side in their two Club World Cup games to retain the title. Despite the crystal clear statistical domination, the World Champions struggled where it matters most, getting the ball into the back of the net.
With an unlikely substitute in the Welshman, Bale turned into a fire-breathing dragon and won the game for Madrid playing just 9 minutes in the semifinal against Al-Jazira, it was a great appearance, to say the least.
Just 36 seconds in, Bale slotted the ball into the back of Al-Jazira’s net putting Madrid up 2-1. The result pushed Madrid into the Club World Cup Final, where they played Brazilian side Gremio and won.
"“It’s nice to come back and obviously great to get a goal and the most important thing is to win the game and get to the final” – Bale on his goal against Al-Jazira"
Bale was also a feature substitute in the final where he played just 11 minutes against Gremio but his movement and lone shot on target had fans drooling like lions gawking at dinner. No doubt the Welshman has been missed, and dearly so.
Injury Update
The last time we saw Bale (outside of this CWC) was in the Copa del Rey against third-tier side CF Fuenlabrada. That match was the return leg which took place November 28 where he played just 28 minutes of match time, coming in as a substitute. Bale had a decent performance in that match coming out with an assist, but just days later was felt discomfort, yet again.
This season has been nothing short of an emotional roller coaster ride for Madrid fans and most certainly Gareth Bale himself. Zidane never made it clear if he was to play any matches in the Club World Cup so to see him was a pleasant surprise.
Bale is no longer on Real Madrid’s injured reserve list and has been training with the squad regularly. His appearances over the course of this past week should bring nothing but reassurance to fans that he his one his way back. The fact that he did not start and played less than 20 minutes between both matches tells us that Zidane is slowly easing him into competitive play.
In addition, the short bursts of use that Zidane has of Bale could be more frequent as the Frenchman experiments on how to get Gareth back into the rotation and possibly starting XI.
El Clasico Appearance
After the appearance of Bale in the Club World Cup, supporters have been speculating as to whether he will be present come time for Madrid’s next La Liga feature, against Barcelona. It is unlikely that Bale will start the Clasico this coming Saturday just before Christmas just as Zidane had managed the team for the 2017 UCL Final in Cardiff.
A similar scenario, that of the Champions League Final of this year, Bale had just returned from an injury but was not match fit, especially for a game of such importance hence the start for Isco which was, of course, the right choice. It is defiantly possible to see the Welshman step onto the pitch at the Bernabéu again before the end of 2017 and can get the afterburners running on high octane.
Bale will more likely be used as a closer or super sub but not to start the match as playing him in a very mentally and physically challenging game could take its toll on him, and let’s not forget the daunting point differential.
Next: Toni Kroos says Real Madrid won’t treat El Clasico preparation any different