Share

Madrid's patience running thin

Madrid - Real Madrid head into Saturday's blockbuster clash with Barcelona on the verge of crisis and in need of the world's two most expensive players, Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale, to prove their worth.

Madrid trail Barcelona by three points at the top of La Liga as their "Galacticos" have failed to fire, while Barca have hardly skipped a beat despite losing four-time World Player of the Year Lionel Messi to injury for the past two months.

When Madrid president Florentino Perez added Bale to a star-studded squad over two years ago, the Welshman and Ronaldo were supposed to form an unstoppable partnership.

Yet, since scoring in the Copa del Rey and Champions League finals in his debut season, Bale has endured a frustrating 18 months due to injuries, a lack of form and even Madrid's own demanding support turning on him.

When Rafael Benitez was appointed to replace the sacked Carlo Ancelotti amid much uproar from Madrid's players and fans in June, he was given one specific task - to get the best out of Bale.

Yet, despite a promising start to the campaign in a new central role, a persistent calf injury has restricted Bale to just seven appearances in Madrid's 15 games this season.

Moreover, Benitez's men have tended to be better off without Bale, winning six and drawing twice in the games he didn't feature compared to four wins, two draws and a defeat when he has.

Bale still has credit in the bank with Perez and, by proxy, Benitez. However, he was consistently booed by Madrid's fans towards the end of last season and is likely to endure similar treatment on Saturday if he doesn't produce his best display in quite some time.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
25% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1473 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2252 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE