Gareth Bale has enjoyed a good start to his Real Madrid career since his high-profile mega-money move from Tottenham at the start of the season.
Good, but that’s all.
Although the Wales international has produced some spectacular moments, providing his fair share of goals and assists, he has also delivered some pretty anonymous displays.
Furthermore, most of his better performances have come in more comfortable victories. Among the victims for his Los Blancos goals, for example, were low-key and outclassed opposition in the shape of Almeria, Real Betis, Real Valladolid and Elche. All of those games were won by at least three goals, suggesting Bale’s contribution was hardly decisive.
In stark contrast, the lowest point of his season came in the corresponding league meeting with Barcelona at the Nou Camp in October, when he was fielded in an unusual centre-forward position and barely touched the ball before being hauled off after an hour.
In fairness, Bale was far from fully fit on that occasion and was still in the process of integrating with his new team. But he was also kept quiet in both local derbies with neighbouring Atletico Madrid, further adding to the impression that the Welshman has – so far – failed to deliver on the biggest of stages.
That certainly doesn’t mean he won’t, and today’s meeting at the Bernabeu offers Bale a wonderful opportunity to etch his name into Real Madrid folklore.
Victory would almost certainly secure La Liga title, barring a complete collapse from Los Blancos or a miraculous late season run from Atletico, who face a notably tough fixture list in the final few weeks of the season.
If Bale can score the winning goal to defeat Barca in a Clasico and lead the team closer towards regaining the championship, his popularity rating with his team’s fans – which is already more than respectably high – would soar through the roof.
It should be acknowledged that Bale’s encouraging recent form has been significantly boosted by the opportunity to play in an increasingly convincing team.
Since Carlo Ancelotti settled upon a midfield trio of Xabi Alonso, Luka Modric and Angel Di Maria, Madrid have played with fluency, confidence and the all-important quality which became Ancelotti’s most-used word during the opening weeks of the season: balance.
And Bale plays a full part in that balance, providing the right-wing symmetry to Cristiano Ronaldo’s peerless rampaging down the left flank.
He is also developing an increasingly fruitful relationship with young right-back Dani Carvajal, who looks more than capable of replacing Alvaro Arbeloa to become a first choice starter for many years to come.
Carvajal is a dangerous attacking threat, and Bale is becoming more and more adept at knowing when he should hug the touchline and when he should drift inside to create space for his teammate’s overlapping runs.
Of course, a major part of Bale’s function is to cut inside and unleash thunderbolt long-range strikes on goal with his left foot.
His growing confidence was illustrated by his beautifully struck effort against Elche in a recent home game.
That kind of moment was why Madrid forked out a world record fee to secure his services.
He has already proved his ability to light up an encounter with a display of magic – now he needs to do it in a really big game.
