PSG tie is Real test of trust in Bale

GARETH Bale became Real Madrid’s second top-scorer for the season on Saturday, but it is tonight in Paris when he will discover where he truly sits in the pecking order.

Real take a 3-1 advantage into their Champions League last 16 second leg against Paris Saint-Germain, with Bale not guaranteed to start what is potentially a season-defining match for Los Blancos.

Adrift in La Liga and out of the cups, success for Real in 2017-18 now depends entirely on their exploits in Europe. Zinedine Zidane’s future as coach may also be tied to them lifting the trophy in May.

It leaves the Frenchman with no room for error at the Parc des Princes, where an absence of Bale would represent the surest indication yet of a lack of trust when it matters most.

Bale could hardly have done more in Saturday’s 3-1 win over Getafe.

He opened the scoring, his eighth goal in 13 league starts this season, and would have finished with a brace but for a bending shot nicking the outside of the post.

In the final rehearsal before PSG, he was brave, bold and industrious.

La Liga’s most capped Brit

It is surely no coincidence that this improved performance came a f t e r Zidane deployed the Welshman in his more natural position of advanced midfield, rather than the lone striker role he was mysteriously presented with in last week’s drear y defeat to Espanyol.

Real were poor, and Bale spent much of the game with his back to goal.

The suggestion is Zidane has doubts about Bale’s defensive work against more dangerous opponents, a category that certainly includes PSG.

Bale’s recent years at Real have certainly been interrupted by injury but on the pitch, the figures do not point to a player that has struggled to live up to expectations.

The 28-year-old has scored 62 goals in 117 La Liga appearances, which on Saturday took him past David Beckham as the division’s most capped British player.

In 21 games this season, he has registered 10 goals and three assists. Perhaps most importantly, he has played in nine consecutive Real matches for the first time since April 2015.

For now, Bale is fit and on Saturday, he was in form. Tonight, Zidane must decide if he is ready to back him.