The pacey Welshman is at risk of being dropped by Carlo Ancelotti after a poor game in the Champions League.
FC Basel are no pushovers, as they have proved time and time again against English sides, but many people were left wondering how the most dominant Real Madrid side assembled in decades could only manage to put one goal past them.
This was despite the fact that the side contained a Cristiano Ronaldo desperate to keep pace with Lionel Messi, who had smashed the Champions League scoring record the night before.
The reason behind this poor performance was, to many observers in Spain, was Gareth Bale. The Welshman was given scathing reviews in the Spanish press, and reportedly had heads shaking on the Madrid bench.
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The wide-man completed 16 passes – that’s one every SIX minutes. That would be poor for a winger in any team, let alone one in a side that is totally dominant from the first minute to the last. Toni Kroos completed 77 passes for example, and James Rodriguez 70. They play more centrally and can be expected to be more involved, but the enormous disparity is worrying.
Bale has been fantastic for Madrid, and in any other team would be under no threat, but given the incredible attacking players Real have sitting on the bench, the former Spurs player knows he can’t afford many more quiet games.