With Cristiano Ronaldo out for three Spanish League matches, can Gareth Bale finally fulfill the promise that has been expected of him since he arrived in Madrid this summer?
The Welshman has been solid for Los Blancos when he has played, but he has struggled to remain healthy for his new club and many are wondering whether his acquisition will work out in the long run. Speculation was rampant of Bale's condition when he was left out of the Copa del Rey tilt against Atletico Madrid; however, coach Carlo Ancelotti has assured everyone that Bale is in fine condition and ready to play.
"There is no setback," Ancelotti said, according to ESPN. "[Bale] is fine. On Saturday we cannot use Cristiano. With Gareth fresh it could be very good for us, so I preferred to give him a rest. For sure Bale will play on Saturday."
"He trained normally over the last two or three days," Luka Modric added. "The coach did not want him to force anything today because we have another important match on Saturday and Cristiano cannot play in it. It is important for him to rest because there is no rush."
When healthy, Bale has been stellar for Madrid. He scored eight goals and seven assists in 14 Spanish league games thus far; he scored a hat trick in one match that did not feature Cristiano Ronaldo on Nov. 30 against Valladolid. He has also scored two Champions League goals for the team.
These next three games will be huge tests for Bale. Can he cement himself as the next big player worthy of his huge transfer deal?
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