The manager of Tottenham Hotspur Jose Mourinho decided to throw a jab at Spanish La Liga giants, Real Madrid, after Gareth Bale’s goal against Brighton on Sunday. It was Bale’s first Premier League goal since he returned to the club on loan from Madrid.
Bale had a difficult 2019-2020 season at Real Madrid where the manager of the club, Zinedine Zidane, did not deem him fit to be used in most parts of the club’s campaigns. The Wales international was shown that he was not wanted at the club even though the club blocked his move away from the club in the summer of 2019.
After a terrible season at Madrid, Bale was finally allowed to return to Tottenham which he left in 2013 to join Madrid for a transfer fee worth €101 million. When the 31-year-old Welsh winger left the club to return to Tottenham for a season-long loan deal, Madrid posted a one-sentence message on the club’s official website to wish him well.
This did not go down well for many of Bale’s fans who believed that the club should have written a more extensive farewell message for a player like Bale who has scored 105 goals and has provided 68 assists in 251 games for the club.
After he arrived at Tottenham, the Welshman didn’t find it so easy to settle down as much as expected. He spent almost a month on the sideline before Mourinho started giving him game time.
The Portuguese coach delayed using him because he was suffering from a knee injury. He finally had the opportunity to play for Tottenham in the Premier League on October 18 against West Ham in a match that ended 3-3. His eighteen minutes on the pitch could not change the scoreline.
Another chance came on November 1, when Jose Mourinho introduced him into Tottenham’s Premier League match against Brighton. His 20 minutes in the game earned him his first headed Premier League goal since 2012. Gareth Bale’s goal was enough to earn Tottenham a 2-1 victory over Brighton which has taken the club to the second spot on the league table.
“When I have five minutes I’m going to Safari to check the Madrid website – to see what they say”, Jose Mourinho said after the match.
“Of course I’m very pleased with Bale – he deserves that,” he added.
“He knows we care about him and we know he cares about us, the team and the club, Spurs. He’s the perfect fit, he’s very calm, very intelligent, he has good feelings.
“He had bad feelings before because the training process was hard, and his body was suffering a little bit, but we gave him what he needs as a whole.
“I am speaking about sports science, medical, my assistants, the other players. I’m very pleased for him to score this winning goal.”
😁 Back to winning ways… #THFC ⚪️ #COYS pic.twitter.com/wFiUeDMsYM
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) November 1, 2020
On the part of the player, he noted how he has not scored a goal for a long while and how he felt bad about it. He also noted how well he has settled down at Tottenham and how happy he feels to play for the club again.
“I haven’t scored since January but it’s only about five games!” Gareth Bale said. “It sounds worse in months.
“It’s been amazing since I came back, I settled in straight away and the team has been amazing with me.
“I’m very happy to be here and playing football again for a great club.”
The interview you've been waiting for.
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) November 1, 2020
📺 Over to you, @GarethBale11… #THFC ⚪️ #COYS pic.twitter.com/amVufpBPaG
