Wednesday, May 6, 2015
Gareth Bale endured another difficult night in a Real Madrid shirt as the defending champions were beaten 2-1 by Juventus in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final in Turin. Adam Bate looks at the alarming stats that highlight Bale's current struggle for form...
The Champions League semi-finals are precisely the sort of occasions on which a team like Real Madrid are grateful to have paid €100million for a decisive intervention. But for world record signing Gareth Bale, it brought only a frustrating night in Turin as he spent the match on the periphery, watching on as Juventus secured a 2-1 advantage ahead of next Wednesday's second leg in Madrid.
It’s been a recurring problem for Bale in what’s proving to be an awkward second season. If he thought he’d turned a corner with his brace against Levante in March (a performance that came complete with a goal celebration that let it be known he is fully aware of the criticism that’s come his way), this was further evidence that his best form continues to elude him.
