Bale shines in Real Madrid win
MADRID: Gareth Bale is doing his part to help Real Madrid get over Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure.
Bale scored in Madrid’s Spanish league opener and set up the other goal in a 2-0 win over Getafe in Sunday’s Madrid derby.
Dani Carvajal also scored for Madrid, who or the first time in nearly a decade started their league campaign without Ronaldo, the club’s greatest goal-scorer.
Bale, who had not played much while Ronaldo was still on the team before he moved to Juventus in the off-season, scored in the 51st minute with a shot from inside the area after a well-placed cross by Marco Asensio.
“I feel good,’’ said Bale, who has scored in Madrid’s l eague opener i n three straight years.
“We are very upbeat with our chances this season.’’
Bale had already struck the crossbar with a 16th-minute header, and a few minutes later he provided the cross that led to Carvajal’s goal after Getafe goalkeeper David Soria failed to fully clear the ball.
Bale didn’t have many chances as a starter under coach Zinedine Zidane, but is likely to gain a bigger role as new manager Julen Lopetegui deals with Ronaldo’s absence and the lack of major signings by the club.
Fewer than 50,000 fans made it to the Bernabeu for the 10.15pm start, the team’s worst attendance since before Ronaldo arrived in 2009, according to Spanish media.
Madrid started their season with a loss to city rivals Atletico Madrid in the Uefa Super Cup final.
Real were only third in the league last season, behind Atletico and champions Barcelona.
Meanwhile, Sevilla and Rayo Vallecano saw calls go both ways in the video assistant referee (VAR) debut in the Spanish league.
Sevilla’s new signing Andre Silva scored a hat-trick.