Bale out to end European drought

Welshman locked and loaded

Gareth Bale is back. He has had quite a wait, but he has done it, as Zinedine Zidane wanted, and come back on top form. On Saturday he showed what a powerful player he is and took up his rightful place in the affections of the Bernabéu faithful, which he had achieved before his double injury. And he got a goal on top of that, too.

Goals, however, are something Bale has not very many of when it comes to the current Champions League. In fact, he has yet to score in the big European competition this term. He has notched up just two assists, though it must be remembered that he has played for a total of only 103 minutes over two games. 

Bale started the 15th September opening group-stage match against Shakhtar Donetsk, but lasted barely half an hour on the pitch, 32 minutes in fact, before going down the tunnel to the dressing room suffering from a muscle injury, his first of many for the season. This particular setback led Bale to miss five league games and three Champions League ones. He returned to the European competition for the reverse match against Shakhtar in Lviv, where he lasted for over 70 minutes, but he didn't score there either. 

And it would appear that Bale has lost his mojo in the Champions League as of late. Last season he scored only twice, both in the group stage, against relatively easy opponents in Basel and Ludogorets, and at home at the Bernabéu to boot.

Six goals en route to 'La Décima'

Actually his finest season in Europe since joining 'Los Blancos' was 2013-2014, when Real Madrid won 'La Décima'. He scored six in that triumphant campaign, including one in the final. Now Bale is hoping to transfer his good scoring run in the Spanish league over to the Champions League. In spite of his injuries he has netted 14 goals domestically, just one less than his highest total in Spain, the 15 he chalked up in his first season at the club.