Gareth Bale's Injury Woes Make Welsh Star's Real Madrid Switch Easier for All

Gareth Bale’s transition from Tottenham to Real Madrid hasn’t gone without a hitch.

Despite netting in his Los Blancos debut against Villarreal, the Welshman’s continued injury problems have emerged as a source of great frustration for those at the Bernabeu.

As reported by Sky Sports, Bale's recently confirmed muscle contracture sees his fitness come under the spotlight once more. Although a great shame that he cannot immediately kick off his Spanish career in style, the 24-year-old’s injury is a blessing in disguise for all involved.

Transitioning from the Premier League to La Liga is by no means an easy task, especially for British players. The likes of Steve McManaman and David Beckham enjoyed a successful run at Madrid, while Michael Owen also performed well during his brief stint between 2004-05. Jonathan Woodgate, not so much.

Bale’s dribbling ability, lethal finishing and passing range make him a natural fit at Madrid, more so than any of the aforementioned Brits before him. Even so, he is expected to deliver instant results for Carlo Ancelotti’s side.

Should Bale fail to deliver a mouth-watering array of goals across his first real run of games, he’ll be labelled a flop. If he doesn’t outperform Cristiano Ronaldo—which is highly unlikely—he’ll be constantly reminded of it in the press.

A stint on the recovery table buys Bale some time.

The former Southampton left-back can ease into proceedings as he regains fitness and full strength. During this period, expectations are lowered slightly and the player can focus on slowly preparing himself for what should be a career-defining tenure at one of the world’s biggest clubs.

Ancelotti should release a sigh of relief at Bale’s time on the sidelines. The new boss—who is also under great pressure to produce instant results at the Bernabeu—will be judged less harshly for not instantly selecting the player everybody wants to see.

In the meantime, the Italian manager can continue to reap the rewards of the in-form Angel Di Maria. The Argentinian winger—who was widely regarded to be on his way out of Madrid after Bale’s arrival—has produced five assists and three goals in 12 appearances this season, per WhoScored.

Di Maria has vowed to battle with Bale for a spot in the first-team, as reported by Metro. So far, he hasn’t disappointed.

While the former Benfica bomber continues to rip through Madrid’s opposition, Ancelotti can quietly go about integrating Bale into a side that looks to topple Barcelona and city rivals Atletico for the La Liga crown.

Real Madrid legend Roberto Carlos recently suggested Bale is worth every penny of his £86 million transfer fee, as told to AS and reported by Simon Rice of The Independent:

"

They have paid that because he deserves it.

They also paid a lot for (Zinedine) Zidane, (Luis) Figo, Ronaldo, Cristiano (Ronaldo). Barcelona also paid much for Neymar. They are worth it.

"

For Bale to prove this worth over a prolonged period of time, taking a step back is the only way to go. While his injuries remain frustrating—not least for the player himself—extended time for him to adapt should be welcomed by all.

Real Madrid have bought an individual who must quickly learn a new language, change lifestyles and justify a world-record transfer fee.

Although the media, fans and player have barely had chance to catch their breath across previous weeks, Bale’s time away from the pitch provides everyone at Madrid with the chance to take stock of what is set to be an immensely exciting future.

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