Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
IT’S REAL DISGRACE AS BALE’S BATTERED
GARETH BALE ended battered and bruised as CSKA MOSCOW inflicted REAL MADRID’S heaviestever European home defeat with a stunning 3-0 victory at the Bernabeu.
The spotlight has fallen on Bale now Cristiano Ronaldo has left for Italy.
But he did not arrive until half-time last night in place of Karim Benzema.
And there was a scare for Real when Bale crashed to the ground clutching his right ankle.
The Wales international continued after treatment, but he did not look comfortable as he attempted to run off the knock. Madrid had already qualified for the last 16 as Group G winners and fielded a much-changed team.
But there could be no excuse for this embarrassment.
Despite CSKA’S victory, they could not secure third place in the group and Europa League qualification after VIKTORIA PLZEN took that spot by beating ROMA 2-1.
Goals by Fedor Chalov, Georgi Schennikov and Arnor Sigurdsson secured an emphatic CSKA win.
YOUNG BOYS of Berne also produced an outstanding performance to no avail as they beat Group H winners JUVENTUS in Switzerland.
Two goals by Guillaume Hoarau, the first a penalty, were enough to beat Ronaldo and the Italian champions – although the Swiss side ended the group rooted to the bottom.