Bale rescues young Real from embarrassing loss
Welshman sets up two goals on his return after injury
Madrid – Much-criticised for his inconsistent form and long injury absences, Gareth Bale was for a change declared Real Madrid’s hero after saving a young side from an embarrassing Copa del Rey loss.
Real had a two-goal advantage over third-tier Fuenlabrada entering the second leg, but a young side had fallen behind at home when the Welshman came off the bench.
“Bale prevents a disaster,” read Madrid sports daily Marca’s front page after Bale, in his first appearance for two months, helped tee up a double for Borja Mayoral in the final 27 minutes.
Despite a late goal that earned the visitors a 2-2 draw, Real had done enough to win 4-2 on aggregate and seal a place in the last 16 of the Cup.
It has been a testing year for Bale, the world’s most expensive player when Real brought him to Spain in 2013.
Bale has completed 90 minutes with Real just four times since injuring ankle ligaments against Sporting Lisbon in November last year.
His ability to score and create has been missed in the early part of this season as Madrid have fallen eight points behind Barcelona in La Liga and are doomed to finish second to Bale’s old club Tottenham Hotspur in Champions League Group H.
“Really enjoyed being back out there, and even better to get through to the next round,” Bale tweeted after the match.
His presence was more necessary than Real boss Zinedine Zidane could have imagined when, with a 2-0 first leg lead as a cushion, he named an inexperienced side.
However, Luis Milla put the visitors in front thanks to a blunder from Real goalkeeper Keylor Navas before Cata Diaz was inches away from bringing Fuenlabrada level in the tie with a header that struck the bar. “Bale returned in style because with that cross I just needed to put my head on it,” said Mayoral.
Zidane said: “People talk a lot about the fact he is injured, but he is a very important player for us.”