Bale hasn't scored since the summer

The Spanish giants started to promote ‘el classic’ on social media by curiously using a goal that defines the complete opposite of the form Bale is going though: powerful, calculated and unstoppable. Madrid fans have been waiting since the summer to see Bale’s name light up the giant screen that overlooks the Santiago Bernabeu, having scored just two goals in six games.

Back to full fitness, the Welshman had zero excuses during the build up to Real Madrid’s biggest game of the year. He made a conscious effort to do each workout in the gym as if it was his last to reach maximum power ahead of ‘el clasico’.

But it wasn’t to be. The striker showed no signs of returning to the form that made Florentino Pérez dish out a world record fee to bring the player to Spain. He looked a shell of his former self, there was no display of his pace or physically that many admired.

In summary, the player has been injured twice since the start of the season, and hasn’t netted for his club since August, when he managed to slot two past Real Betis.

Disastrous figures for a player that should be carrying much of the weight of attack, and a player that will surely turn out to be one of the most expensive signings in the history of Real Madrid.