GARETH BALE CAN be Real Madrid’s trump card against Juventus if he brings his A-game to the Champions League semi-final, says Roy Keane.
The Welsh forward, made the most expensive ever player by Real Madrid in 2013, was widely criticised for his performance against Max Allegri’s side as Madrid lost the first leg 2-1.
Carlo Ancelotti’s men need a big performance if they are to book a place in the final against Barcelona but Keane still believes that Bale can make the difference.
“There’s no doubting his talent,” the ex-Manchester United midfielder told ITV Sport.
“We’ve seen him do it before. We’ve seen him do it last year in the big, big games. If Gareth is at it [on Wednesday] night, then they’ve got a chance … that’s if he turns up. He’s a top player.”
Keane’s old United team-mate, Paul Scholes, however, warns that the Wales international would play right into Juventus’s hands if he produces more of the same.
Scholes remarked: “We just want to see him more positive. We know the talent he’s got, the pace and power he possesses.
“[In the first leg], his confidence looked low. He kept whipping the ball in. It was easy for the Italian defenders. If he’s like that [in the second leg], they will love that. They’ll eat that up all day long.
“I’d like to see him more positive. Take his man on. Shots on goal.”
Great result – horrible game
Agreed; all that spitting and shouting at the ref, never mind the tribalistic thuggery it engenders internationally.
A lot to be said for oval shaped balls.
And as is evident here you will often find a cock on the end of them
This is qualified success in a worldwide sport, not reaching the quarter finals of a sport played by 10 teams… Genuine achievement by an extremely mediocre side. Possibly the worst Irish side in my life, but much more commendable than coming out of a group they were expected to come out of(like the oval-balled lads) and then losing to a side they should beat. These boys have a massive task in front of them now. If they can pick up some points it’ll be a result. And if they do a Greece, yourself and the D4 crowd will probably be first on the bandwagon. I’ve been on it years though and there’s plenty of room whenever you’re ready.
99.999% Qualified which is a great achievement for the material that Trap has. Europe is more difficult to qualify for than the World cup well done to the team. It will give the country something to look forward to next summer the kind of buzz that an oval ball would never give to such a wide section of the population.
Worst Irish side in your life?! what age are you, 2? This is easily the best Irish side in 10 years, possibly on a par with the ’02 team. Its the tactics that make the team look bad.
Oh please,no more oval ball shennanigans,please.
Great achievement overall to qualify and well done to the lads but Ireland’s style looked like that of a second rate Jack Charlton’s tonight for much of the time, belting high balls at and into Walters, who did very well. If only we had a player who could put his foot on the ball in the centre of the park and spray the odd decent pass. The result is obviously the most important thing but we are just not an enjoyable team to watch at present and the players to me seem to be stifled, mainly by Trap’s tactics.
A win is a win no matter what you can watch any match and get a bad game but when it your team and you win it’s a great feeling and I hope it’s lift us all out of this recession come on Ireland
“international football has never been more open. As a result ……teams like Greece actually winning etc. “. That’s incredible , Greece were the most defensive team ever to win a championship. Their games were like watching chess in slow motion. Some sports reporters give you the impression they have never done more than read each others articles.
I think it’s fairly obvious he means ‘open’ in the sense of ‘there for the taking’, as opposed to an open style of play.
Tens of thousands of paddies boarding flights to Poland next Summer- whoda thunk it?
I could almost hear Michael O’Leary hiking up prices at the end of the game.
Did anyone else notice the flag the Estonian supporters were flying last night? It was the Union Jack, with the Three Lions crest of England, but in the Estonian colours. What was that all about?
Did wonder about the union Jack alright. Weird!
great article,spot on!
No no Alan,that s only when all the normal priced flights to Poland are sold that Michael will raise the prices,do u know so all the rest of us can have the chance to buy tickets at €400 odd euro