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The Welshman scored the winning penalty at Cordoba after the Portuguese lost his head and was sent off for aggression when Madrid needed him most
It was quite the role reversal. Cristiano Ronaldo, lauded lately for his Ballon d'Or win and fantastic form in front of goal, let Real Madrid down badly on Saturday as Gareth Bale, much maligned in recent weeks, saved the day for the Liga leaders.Madrid's performance was wretched. Without Luka Modric and Isco to provide a creative spark in midfield, there was no imagination and seemingly no ideas from Carlo Ancelotti's men. Behind from a contentious penalty when Sergio Ramos was adjudged to have handled inside two minutes, it took a Karim Benzema strike from a corner (following a Bale flick-on) to level the game at the interval.
"I didn't like the way we played in the first half," Ancelotti said. "And I got angry. We suffered, but the most important thing was to get the three points and we did that - albeit with difficulty."
Indeed. Cordoba could consider themselves unfortunate after a second half in which they came close following a remarkable run from Bebe, hit the woodwork after a calamitous mistake by Raphael Varane, and saw a long-range effort from Fede Cartabia sail only inches wide.
Madrid were on the rack and Ronaldo, a pallid presence all game, was getting frustrated. The Portuguese threw a punch at a corner kick but failed to make contact with Jose Angel Crespo and his action went unnoticed by the referee. But he was shown a straight red just moments later as he kicked out and slapped Edimar before trying to push Crespo in the face as well.
As he walked off the pitch, Ronaldo ran his fingers over the badge on Madrid's shirt that commemorates the team's Club World Cup win, in what looked like a gesture of defiance and presumption. In reality, however, he had let his side down badly.
"I didn't see anything," Ancelotti said afterwards. "I haven't spoken with him and I cannot judge what happened."
When he does see it, he is unlikely to be very happy. Ronaldo, meanwhile, took to Twitter to apologise for his "thoughtless act". Real were already on the ropes at 11 against 11 and Ronaldo's red could have cost them dearly. And in the end, they had Bale to thank for rescuing a win from what looked like the jaws of defeat.
Bale's 88th-minute free kick was handled by Fede in the area and the Welshman converted the winning penalty. And with the Argentine sent off for his second bookable offence, Madrid held on to claim three points and stay top of La Liga.
It was no classic display from Bale either, but the former Tottenham man stepped up and saved Ronaldo's blushes in a game Real really had no right to win. Having been jeered by fans for failing to pass to Cristiano and missing a chance in the 3-0 win at Espanyol earlier this month, and also chided by the Madrid media pushing for Isco's inclusion at his expense, the Welshman delivered here when it mattered most.
"It wasn't so easy to play because the pitch was uneven," Ancelotti added in what seemed a poor excuse for his side's sub-par play. "Dead balls were a good opportunity for us and that's how the two goals arrived."
And Bale played his part in both, as Ronaldo lost his cool and let Madrid down with a moment of sheer stupidity. So perhaps it's time the fans and press gave Gareth a break.
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#CITYHITZ SPORT: Bale bails out Real as Ronaldo red lets side down
![#CITYHITZ SPORT: Bale bails out Real as Ronaldo red lets side down]()
Reviewed by CityHitz Simula8
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