After completing his world record transfer from Tottenham Hotspur to Real Madrid, Madrid fans will be able to get their first glimpse of Bale in a Real Madrid shirt this Saturday against Villarreal Carlo Ancelotti has confirmed.
Ancelotti stated “Bale will travel and will play. I’m not sure if he will start or come off from the bench,”
“Bale came here without having a normal pre-season, but his condition is not bad,” added the ex-Chelsea manager. “He has no injuries, he is excited and very motivated.
“He’s arrived full of enthusiasm and he is very happy to be at the team he wanted to join. He is a humble player who likes to be with his team-mates. He fits in well with the squad.”
Bale’s only football this season has come from playing for Wales, however he is yet to complete a full match this season, mainly due to an ongoing foot injury. This week he took part in his first training sessions for his new club, and has been passed fit to feature in Real Madrid’s away fixture against Villarreal.
On Thursday, Gareth Bale told the press that he hoped he would be fit enough to start against Villarreal.
“Obviously I went straight away on international duty, which probably wasn’t the best, but I’ve been back in the last two days now,” he added.
“The boys have been very nice to me and made me settle quickly and it’s just an honour to be here. I feel good. I’ve been training with Wales. I’ve had two good sessions”
“I’m a bit behind everybody else physically but hopefully I can catch up as soon as possible.”
Real Madrid’s next feature after Villarreal is a Champions League group game against Turkish side Galatasaray on Tuesday. Bale will be hoping to get his first taste of Champions League football for the first time in over 3 seasons.