Bale scored a superb equalizer against Barcelona in El Clasico
Scored a double against Celta Vigo a week later
Still makes 18 goals despite an injury plagued season
IMPACT PLAYER – WEEK 17 – 2018
GARETH BALE – FORWARD – REAL MADRID (SPAIN) – 28 YEARS
Gareth Bale has had a mixed season, again plagued by injuries, but his excellent performances during the last two games earns him his first Impact Player of the Week award. The 28-year-old Welshman has been the main inspiration for Real since star striker Cristiano Ronaldo was injured in the first half of the Clasico against Barcelona just over a week ago.
Bale scored a superb equalizer against Barça
His pace and athleticism were unrivaled by either set of players and his finish was truly world-class, and he showed once again he can deliver in the big games as well.
Arriving at pace to meet a cross from the left, Bale hit the ball with a fierce first-time shot with the inside of his left foot into the top corner. It was a brilliant goal and it earned him some serious brownie points as he tries to make the starting line-up for the Champions league final.
Bale has scored 15 league goals in 25 appearances for Real this season and has provided 4 assists. The previous season he scored 7 goals in 19 appearances and assisted 3. His best was in 2015/16, his second season with Real, where he featured 23 times, scored 19 league goals and assisted 11.
The former Tottenham and Southampton man then scored two goals against Celta Vigo on the penultimate match day as Real thumped the Galician’s 6-0 at the Estadio Bernabeu in Madrid last weekend. The “Celestes or Celticos”, the sky blues or the Celts as they are known, were given more than they could handle by Real’s man of the situation, Gareth Bale, and his two goals within the first 31 minutes set the tone for Los Blancos to roll-out their Champaign football.
Gareth Bale was recruited by Madrid in September 2013 for £90.9 Million
Bale was the world’s most expensive signing when he left north London club Tottenham Hotspurs to join the Spanish giants, the season after he was voted Player of the year in the English Premier League.
Though his net worth has decreased dramatically from £81 Million to £63 Million in the last two years – mainly because of his injuries which have kept him sidelined for much of those two seasons – Bale remains a fantastic player who can bring a lot more for Real.
Gareth Bale has won 3 Champions League titles with Real Madrid, one la Liga title, the Spanish Cup once and the Spanish Super Cup once as well. He also won three UEFA Super Cup’s and three Fifa World Club World Cup titles with Real.
However, he has been left out of several key games by coach Zinedine Zidane over last three months and only featured for 20 minutes against Bayern Munich over both legs of the Champions League semi-final. Spanish internationals Isco, Vazquez and Asensio have recently been favoured by Zidane over the 2-time best Player of Wales.
Though, after scoring three goals in 2 games – he was also rested by Zidane in the midweek defeat to Sevilla – the Welshman is seriously making a case for himself for a starting spot in the final of the Champions League against Liverpool on the 26th May.
He is again in competition with Isco and Asensio for the spot on the left or right midfield. Zidane is spoilt for choice as Isco, Bale, Benzema, Vazquez and Asensio are all looking to grab the two spots behind Cristiano Ronaldo who will most certainly play up front as striker. Bale has one more game in the league – next Saturday against Villarreal – to prove to Zidane that he deserves a starting spot in the Final against Liverpool.
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