Gareth Bale put any hint of bad blood behind him with a classy message of congratulations after Real Madrid reached the Champions League final. Los Blancos stayed true to character by leaving it late against Bayern Munich in a stunning encounter at the Bernabeu on Wednesday night.
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Bale's nine years in the Spanish capital were something of a rollercoaster. His £86million move from Tottenham in 2013 was for a world record fee at the time, eclipsing the figure Real had paid for goal machine Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Welshman's stint in Spain produced a number of highlight reel moments, including an incredible solo goal against Barcelona in the 2014 Copa del Rey final, and a staggering brace in the 2018 Champions League final win over Liverpool.
But a number of factors created tension between Bale and Real Madrid fans. Straight after his sensational bicycle kick downed the Reds and Los Blancos scooped up another European trophy, the winger admitted that he was considering his future.
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The following year, Bale celebrated Wales' qualification for Euro 2020 by holding aloft a flag that read: "Wales. Golf. Madrid. In that order." Friction with legendary Real boss Zinedine Zidane, and a general reluctance to conduct interviews in Spanish, also led to a divide between Bale and the club's fans.
But it's clear that the 34-year-old still has a special place for Real Madrid in his heart, as after their dramatic 2-1 win over Bayern Munich on Wednesday night (4-3 on aggregate), he showed his true colours by posting a classy message and revealing that he will attend their Wembley final against Borussia Dortmund.
"Hala Madriddd!! See you at Wembley boys," he wrote on X. Despite the downs which accompanied the ups during Bale's time in Spain, he departed on good terms upon joining Los Angeles FC in 2022.
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His statement read: "I arrived here nine years ago as a young man who wanted to realise my dream of playing for Real Madrid. To wear the pristine white kit, to wear the crest on my chest, to play at the Santiago Bernabeu, to win titles and to be part of what it's so famous for, to win the Champions League - I can now look back, reflect and say with honesty that this dream became a reality and much, much more."
Madrid reached next month's Champions League final in typically dramatic fashion, with Joselu scoring twice beyond the 88th minute to turn the Bayern tie on its head.
Alphonso Davies had previously put the visitors in control with a superb strike midway through the second half, and the German giants felt aggrieved deep into stoppage time when an early offside flag denied them the chance of a VAR review after Matthijs De Ligt put the ball in the net.
