With both Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo playing together, there is bound to be a lot of competition to take the free kicks. However, the Welsh star has revealed that the two have worked out a way to decide who takes which kick.
“It’s on the board: free kicks left side him, free kicks right side me. Every game. So we know exactly what’s what,” Bale was quoted as saying in The Times.
There had been a lot of reports about both Bale and Ronaldo not getting along well with each other in the initial stages. However, the former dispelled all these rumours, saying that the two have “never” had any problems between themselves. In fact, Bale also goes on to say that the media had blown the whole scenario way out of proportions.
“We get on really well. The press make a lot of things that maybe we don’t but we get on fine. We’ve never had a problem. I’ve never had an argument with him,” continued Bale.
In fact, Bale says that Ronaldo had actually helped him get acclimatised to the new language (Spanish) when he had moved to Madrid in 2013. He said, “We also both have that link with the Premier League and Cristiano speaks English which helped me when I came here [to Real].”
Ronaldo has often been criticised for his antics both on and off the field, as the former Manchester United star comes off as a bit selfish in a team-game like football. However, Bale believes that it is just Ronaldo’s ego at play, something that, according to him, every star player must have.
“Every player has to work with the team as no-one can achieve anything on their own, but when you are the star of the team you need to be a bit selfish,” said Bale.
Great chance for Madrid
Both Bale and Ronaldo will need to be on the same page if Madrid are to make a success of the season. Real Madrid were down and out, and it did not look as if they will be able to win any silverware. Especially after being seven points behind La Liga leaders Barcelona, and 2-0 down in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinal against Wolfsburg, it was increasingly looking like Real’s season will come to an end a bit too quickly.
However, after a brilliant 2-1 win at the Camp Nou, and a 3-0 second leg comeback win over Wolfsburg, the Los Blancos are right back in it, with a chance to win both the La Liga and the Champions League. This sudden change in fortune could have brought the Real Madrid side together, as they go looking for a double that seemed completely unlikely a couple of months back.
