Bale has an obsession and is determined to start in Kiev

Posted Tuesday, May 15, 2018 by Marca.com

There is one thing on Gareth Bale's mind and that's the Champions League final against Liverpool in Kiev on May 26.

Over the past few weeks he has been experiencing his umpteenth return to form since his move to Real Madrid and he is making a case for a starting spot when just a few weeks ago it seemed like he was destined to start on the bench.

Not only did he score a stunning equaliser against Barcelona at the Camp Nou, but he then conjured up a brace in the 6-0 victory over Celta Vigo.

He was quick, strong and athletic in that win over the Galician side, while he also showed excellent finishing and earned the applause of the home crowd.

These recent performances and his season tally of 18 goals have given Zinedine Zidane a major selection headache, which the Frenchman even recognised in the post-match press conference after the Celta Vigo win.

It was at last year's final that Bale lost his place, as he was on the bench having only just returned from injury and Zidane saw how well the team could play with Isco on the field instead.

Injuries plagued the start of Bale's 2017/18 too, but he has been fit and healthy for some time and is desperate to play against Liverpool and to show once again that he is a man for the big occasions.

After that, he'll have to consider his future, as the potential arrival of Neymar could force him out of the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu.

For now, though, the Welshman hasn't said a word on the matter.

He is solely thinking about the final in Kiev and in a fourth Champions League in five years.