The Wales star looks a shadow of his former self at present. By Paul Fennessy Friday 12 Feb 2021, 5:17 PM Feb 12th 2021, 5:17 PM 46,501 Views 31 Comments
Tottenham Hotspur s Gareth Bale (file pic).
Image: PA
Image: PA
THERE ARE many examples in football of a much-loved player going back to a former club that helped establish him as a superstar Robbie Fowler at Liverpool, Thierry Henry at Arsenal, and Wayne Rooney at Everton, to name a few.
Rarely, however, does the second coming prove as successful as the memorable initial spell.
We are only just over halfway through the current season, but already, Gareth Bale is looking like reinforcing the footballing dictum that a player should ‘never go back’.
Attitude of Atletico Madrid s battle-scarred stars key in march to La Liga title
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How Luis Suarez is turning back time during his season with Atleti (1:27)
ESPN FC s Alejandro Moreno explains how Luis Suarez turned his career around at Atletico Madrid. (1:27)
Since Atletico Madrid last won the Spanish title in 2014, the average number of points needed to win La Liga has been 86. Even if Monday night s 2-2 draw at home to Celta Vigo was disappointing, especially conceding such a late equaliser, it s a very good bet that with 51 points in the bag Atleti are, at most, 12 wins away from what would be only their third Spanish title win in 44 years. Heady times.