month of May 2016 and the real Madrid of a beginner Zinedine Zidane crosses his path to what would be his 11th Champions with the Manchester City from Mauricio Pellegrini. This is the only precedent for the two teams in the penultimate round of the Champions and you had in the figure of Gareth Bale to a hero who, now, six years later, hardly has a relevant role in the white team when they face the citizens for a place in the final.
This does not mean, yes, that he does not have his minutes as he already enjoyed them in the match against Chelsea in the first leg of the quarterfinals where the real Madrid won 1-3 at Stamford Bridge.
A solitary goal that was worth the ticket to Milan
And it is that if Ancelotti, and the madridistas, remember, who was to blame for the real Madrid will play the final Milan before him Atletico Madrid It was Gareth Bale. The Welshman, with a solitary goal in the second leg of a game that only had one goal in 180 minutes, gave the Whites the opportunity to fight for a new Champions.
So, the British player was key in the scheme of Zidane and that season he got 19 goals and 11 assists in 31 games.
A situation that is diametrically opposed to the current one and that, if an appearance of Gareth Bale before him Manchester Citycould have or very similar consequences, although it is less likely, or very different, than it would be usual.
More about Real Madrid
Alaba and Casemiro, with the group at the Etihad training
The City, in fear of facing another ‘Kane’ case with Declan Rice
