Finland match is ‘massive’ for Wales, says Bale

Gareth Bale said Wales must secure the point they need in a “massive match” with Finland on Wednesday and guarantee promotion to the top tier of the Nations League.

Bale says making the step up to League A is key to facing stronger opposition and gauging the progress the team is making. Wales are a point clear of second-placed Finland going into the game.

“It’s a massive game for us,” said Bale at a press conference on Tuesday.

“To win the group and get promoted is something we set out to do at the start.

“It’s important for us as a country to get that at winning mentality and that hat feeling going into the Euros uros in the summer. “We want to get better and improve ve and the only way ay we’ll do that is by y playing better r teams.” Bale is Wales’ record goal scorer with 33 but he has s not added to the tally in the past 13 months. However, the 31-year1-yearold says his old sharpness arpness is returning, having ng had a decent run of fitness

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and an some game time since sin he rejoined Tottenham Tot Hotspur on loan from Real Madrid. Mad

“The “Th more games I’m playing playin the better the body is adapting,” he said.

“I still need to get a little fitter and sharper but I am getting there.

“It takes a bit of time when you’re a bit older, but I am just excited to get back to full fitness and hopefully it won’t be too long. “Leading into the Euros in the summer, that’s where I want to be peaking.”

Bale was integral to Wales’ fairytale run to the Euro 2016 semifinals, where they lost to eventual champions Portugal. This time round they may fancy their chances of making the knockout stages again having been drawn in a group with Italy, Switzerland and Turkey.

It’s im important for us as a country to get that th winning m mentality and th that feeling going into the Euros in the summer.