Gareth Bale Shines in Central Real Madrid Role but True Test Is Still to Follow

Gareth Bale doesn't often speak to journalists.

The Welshman has struggled with the pressure at times in his Real Madrid career, and he's usually someone who gives the thumbs up to the reporters calling out his name in the mixed zone as he scuttles by to board the team bus, where he can sit in peace.

That's if he even shows up there at all—some stadiums allow players to circumvent it and avoid the media scrum altogether.

Espanyol's Cornella El Prat stadium is different, with the entire away side obliged to pass through on the way to their coach.

Most in the mixed zone were ready for another snub from Bale, but surprisingly he stopped for a small group of English writers.

Perhaps it's because on Saturday, against Espanyol, he felt truly comfortable for the first time in a long time.

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Bale was a key presence for Real Madrid and had a huge influence on the game.

To look at the scoresheet and scorers, 6-0 to Real Madrid, five goals for Cristiano Ronaldo and one for Karim Benzema, you could be forgiven for thinking Bale had a bit-part role.

But this was one of his finest performances in a Real Madrid shirt.

Rafa Benitez has deployed Bale in a new role this season, bringing him inside and making him feel a cherished, integral part of the team.

And it seems to be working, at least on the evidence of the start of the season.

Real Madrid have played three league games, against Sporting Gijon, Real Betis and Espanyol, scoring 11 goals and conceding zero.

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Obviously, the quality of these opponents is lacking and stronger tests will follow; Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday in the Champions League is already a step up.

In reality, we are unlikely to see how durable the new tactics are until September 23, when Madrid head north to face Athletic Club in Bilbao.

Failing that, the short trip across town to the Vicente Calderon on October 4 will be the real acid test. But for now, so far, so good.

Bale was thrilled after a performance in which he created many of Madrid's goals.

A surging run through the middle, running at the defence from his new position, ended with Victor Alvarez ham-fistedly hacking him down in the box, with Ronaldo converting the penalty to put Real Madrid 2-0 up.

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And when Bale peeled off to the left, to pick the ball up from Isco, he swung in a perfect cross to the back post for Ronaldo to sidefoot home from close range.

The fourth goal came after Bale, again powering forward through the middle, set Ronaldo free down the left, with the Portuguese star laying the ball across for Benzema to knock in.

Bale, now springing off to the right, made Ronaldo's fourth goal, with a darting run and flicked cross for the No. 7 to finish with ease.

And from a similar position he found Lucas Vazquez, who provided the ball for Ronaldo to net his fifth and Real Madrid's sixth.

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Ronaldo took all the plaudits, obviously, but this was a triumph for Bale, for Florentino Perez—his chief backer—and for Benitez, who carved out Bale's new position.

And when the Welsh attacker spoke in the mixed zone after, he was keen to highlight how happy he feels in his new position, compared to being on the right wing last season. He told Sport:

"

I feel like I am more involved this year now. The first year you are running off adrenalin from having just signed — you are so happy to be at the club and that drives you on.

But in the second year I felt a little bit left out wide and not getting so much of the ball, but now I feel involved in the play and I think that is showing in the games that I am able to assist goals and score goals.

"

So far, so good for Bale in his new position. If Benitez continues getting the best out of him then Madrid may finally extract the value they want from their £85 million asset.

Of course, other defenses will be more probing than that of Espanyol, who gave Bale far too much space to run at them.

That's when he's most dangerous, with the wind in his sails and green grass ahead of him to scamper across.

Athletic Club and Atletico Madrid will not be as generous. That is when we will discover whether this is the start of something good for Bale.