adminMADRID. — All those lessons he has been taking recently paid off today when Gareth Bale stood before the Real Madrid faithful and addressed them in their own language. “It’s a dream for me to play at Real Madrid. Thank you for this great welcome. Hello Madrid,” he said.
It might not have been on the level of Jose Mourinho using Milanese slang when he first spoke to the Italian media on assuming responsibility of Inter, but it was enough to have a crowd of around 20 000 Madridistas chanting his name to the echo.
After all, some of his predecessors — mentioning no names, Michael Owen and David Beckham, never got much further than Hola.
It is an extraordinary thing, the way they introduce new players in Spain. Not for them a quick photo call with a scarf.
This is a big production number, an event. And no club does event quite like Madrid. This was less an introduction than an investiture of the club’s new Prince of Wales.
There was a line of fans snaking right round the ground two hours before the gates were opened. It would be tempting to ask whether they had jobs to go to. But this is Spain so such a line of inquiry is wholly untactful. The biggest of all introductions was for Cristiano Ronaldo. That day 80 000 packed the stadium; so full was it fans were pouring on to the pitch.
It was not quite like that for the softly spoken Welshman. But still, his new employers were keen to make him feel he was coming to the right place. The stage that had been hastily taken down on Saturday night ahead of the weekend game against Bilbao was rebuilt, now decorated with pictures of Bale as a ten-year old wearing the Madrid shirt, proof, evidently, of his lifelong ambition. Tracked from the moment he arrived at the stadium by a television crew, Bale, dressed in a sleek, slimline black suit did indeed look visibly thrilled to be stepping out at the Bernabeu. He swallowed hard twice as he sat down next to the club president Florentino Perez in the directors’ box, the crowd serenading him with chants of “Bale-y, Bale-y”. And Perez was effusive in his welcome. He described the deal to bring him to the club as “intense and complex negotiations” which is the nicest thing anyone has ever said about Daniel Levy’s bargaining style.
But he did thank Tottenham “for the wonderful opportunity to have this player as part of our plans.” And then he addressed Bale directly.
“Gareth that moment you dreamt about as a kid is now a reality. You are now in the most demanding club in the world, but we will always be by your side.”
No pressure there, then.
After Bale had said his few words, to tumultuous applause, the pair were joined on the stage by the Madrid board, a bunch of men who have the look of money.
Other people’s money.
Then Bale’s family were invited up, all of them seemingly astonished at the reception afforded their lad. — Telegraph.
Online Reporter