Gareth Bale Keeps Proving He's Real Madrid's Man for the Biggest Occasions

Real Madrid won the UEFA Champions League on Saturday thanks to a penalty shootout victory over Atletico Madrid, 5-3, after a 1-1 draw in 90 minutes and extra time.

Cristiano Ronaldo hit the winning penalty after Juanfran struck the post to ensure his side won the trophy against their city rivals for the second time in three seasons. However, the Portuguese forward actually had an extremely quiet and ineffective game beforehand.

Instead it was Gareth Bale who once again showed his capacity to take Real to great heights, with the Welshman arguably his side's top performer and one of the keys to staying level with Atletico in the 120 minutes preceding PKs.

End product, big games

Bale was a constant threat throughout the match at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, even when Atletico dominated possession for long spells after falling behind. He was a powerhouse in the air, winning near-post flick-ons and going close to a goal of his own with an effort off a set piece and a shot or two on the run.

Most importantly of all, of course, it was Bale who created Real's only goal of the game with a fine header on from an underhit free-kick, which Sergio Ramos then turned home from close range.

OLIVIER MORIN/Getty Images

Bale has come up big for Real Madrid in so many important games already. The 2014 Champions League final, when Bale scored the winner against Atletico, is one example, but he also netted in the Copa del Rey final against Barcelona that season and in the FIFA Club World Cup final.

Add in his Liga goals this season, which kept Real's title charge going, and his coolly converted penalty in the shootout in Milan, and Bale's prodigious ability to make a telling contribution in the games that matter most shows no sign of slowing down.

"

.@GarethBale11 describes the "amazing feeling" of winning the #UCLfinal for a second time. https://t.co/9WerIv6hOs

— BT Sport Football (@btsportfootball) May 28, 2016"

Both halves

The Welshman's contribution is far from simply putting the ball in the net, though.

Against Atletico, he was the only Real player capable of carrying the ball effectively, of breaking Atleti's lines in possession and of opening chances to counter-attack at pace. Defensively he more than did his work, filling in as a deep midfielder to help his team keep shape and making challenges inside his own area—most notably on Juanfran when danger loomed large.

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Gareth Bale's game by numbers vs Atletico:
1 assist
3 chances created
3 tackles
5 take-ons
8 shots#UCL pic.twitter.com/PWxcD8jhBn

— Squawka Dave (@SquawkaDave) May 28, 2016"

Bale put in a fantastic all-around performance, and it's difficult to suggest anybody, other than perhaps Luka Modric, put more into Real Madrid's display than No. 11 did.

Cramping and fatigue had clearly set in during injury time, but his penalty was expertly put away regardless, topping off his night.

Ronaldo 2.0?

Criticism has been levelled at Bale throughout his three years at Real Madrid, most of it to do with him not hitting the goalscoring stats that Cristiano Ronaldo manages, but should that matter?

Bale has consistently played well in the biggest games for Real, something that can't be said for Ronaldo—and those murmurings around the Portuguese star won't die down quickly after his anonymous, albeit potentially injury-restricted, performance in the final.

Clive Mason/Getty Images

Regardless of Ronaldo, Bale keeps coming up with the goods for Real Madrid at crucial moments, and that's what should be remembered most. While Rafa Benitez tried to make him a central pillar of his Real team, Zinedine Zidane has used him both as an inside forward and a rampaging winger. His critical impact in the second half of the season—goals at Rayo Vallecano and Real Sociedad might not make headlines, but were pivotal in the long win streak the team carried into the final—was bigger, no question, than Ronaldo's was.

Bale should head into the UEFA European Championships enormously confident for Wales and return next season positive about playing a huge role once again for Real Madrid as they chase more success—because the simple fact is, he does play a huge role in that success.

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