A sign Gareth Bale is ready to give Real Madrid his best again

The last impression Gareth Bale left on Real Madrid fans was not a positive one. He could be seen languishing on the bench, even pretending to sleep, and the coverage of his situation and poor play led to a relationship with the fans that can be described as acrimonious.

Bale earned a loan move back to his old club, Tottenham Hotspur, last season, scoring 16 goals with four assists across all competitions. It was an encouraging season for Bale, who was productive and even clutch.

Now, Bale returns to Real Madrid, as Spurs, nor any other team, were willing to even share part of his hefty 30 million euro wages. But despite the difficulties of the 2019-2020 season, there is reason to believe Bale can find a role with Los Blancos in 2021-2022.

MadridistaReal reports that Gareth Bale feels “very motivated” by Carlo Ancelotti’s appointment as manager. His camp believes the player will have a “great season”, and the report adds that Bale has extra motivation to leave Real on a high note, given this will be the final year of his contract.

Gareth Bale has a special place in Real Madrid history

You can see all the factors that are working in Bale’s favor mentally. We could see how there was a strain between Zinedine Zidane and Bale, as Zidane did not want to give Bale any favors or even extra time to find his form. It was produce or sit, and the fit just wasn’t there. Ancelotti, meanwhile, worked with Bale to great effect early in the Welshman’s legendary tenure with Madrid.

The four-time Champions League winner is no longer playing at a world-class level, but with the right wing position wide open after a poor 2020-2021 campaign from Marco Asensio, there is hope for Bale. He brings goals to the table, and Real Madrid desperately need more goals from both wings. Even though Bale can no longer beat defenders one-on-one consistently, the mental and technical attributes are all there.

Lastly, Bale still loves Real Madrid, no matter what happened during his last season with Zidane. A change in manager could be the catalyst for Bale to put his head down and remind Madridistas why he holds a special place in this club’s history, though his time with Los Blancos may be briefer than other players classified as legends of the club.

There should be no high expectations or pressure on Bale, but this report is a sign that Bale is in a good headspace and can offer something to Real Madrid. Contrary to what some in the media will tell you, Bale does not sound like a man content with counting his money.