Real Madrid Transfer News: Gareth Bale Signing Puts Massive Pressure on Club

After landing coveted English star Gareth Bale for a world-record figure of £85 million (€100 million) this past weekend, according to SportsCenter on Twitter, Real Madrid is set to face an unrivaled amount of pressure to perform this season:

As if being an elite European club doesn't come with high enough expectation, Real's latest addition will have them square in the spotlight this season.

The pressure comes at a tricky time for the club as well. Los Blancos supporters won't have a ton of patience following a disappointing 2012-13 campaign in which Real failed to win a trophy. Since then, manager Jose Mourinho left the Bernabeu and Carlo Ancelotti signed on as the new boss.

However, Ancelotti will face significant pressure to not only win, but impress with the most expensive player of all time set to join his squad.

The face of the club, Cristiano Ronaldo, is already viewed as one of the top players in the world. After scoring 21 Premier League goals for Tottenham Hotspur last season, the 24-year-old Bale is now in the same discussion.

Failing to win the Spanish Primera Division with just one elite playmaker may be acceptable when you're going up against Lionel Messi and Barcelona, but with two top-tier talents in the mix, Ancelotti will have zero excuses not to lift Real to the top of the league table this season.

That same pressure will follow Real into Champions League play, where anything less than a European Cup will have Los Blancos management and fans scratching their heads.

Even if it's the defense that lets Ancelotti's squad down this season, many would be wondering why Real weren't able to outscore their opponents with two of the top attacking players on the planet.

It's the blessing and the curse of making a historical summer signing: You have all the talent necessary to win titles, but spending doesn't guarantee success, and the consequences of coming up short can be harsh.

Real signed Bale for an amount of money that no other player has ever seen, and with a decision like that comes never-before-seen pressure to win trophies. 

Follow Bleacher Report Featured Columnist Patrick Clarke on Twitter.