Gareth Bale

REAL MADRID star Gareth Bale was left on the bench as his side beat Liverpool to win the Champions League final.

We beat some the best clubs of the world. "I am a record man. A fantastic club, a really good squad with a lot of quality and mental character. "I am really proud of the team. We stuck to it and when I needed to be there I was there for the team. Real Madrid star Gareth Bale looked awkward as his team-mates celebrated winning the Champions League on Saturday night.

GARETH BALE has become the first Brit to win the Champions League for the fifth time despite playing just seven minutes in the competition.The winger,

despite playing just seven minutes in the competition this season. Bale was already FaceTiming his Welsh team-mates ahead of the Champions League final and has the chance to be the hero for his country once again by firing them to their first World Cup since 1958. Bale has concluded his Real career in the best fashion - with his 16th piece of silverware at the club despite only playing against Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea.

The Liverpool boss was speaking about the Welshman's impending exit from Real Madrid and reflecting upon his influence in the Champions League decider from ...

Reds boss Klopp was quizzed about Bale ahead of the final and told BT Sport: “People in Madrid do not love him! Bale has recently hit out at Spanish media outlet Marca as being “disgusting” for comparing him to a parasite over claims he is sucking money out of the Spanish giants. Ironically, his greatest moment for the club arguably came four years ago – when he netted twice as the Spanish giants defeated the Reds 3-1 in the Champions League final.

Gareth Bale's contract with the Spanish giants is now up and his nine-year stay in Madrid has been trophy-laden.

"It's a shame that he never got a chance to come on to the pitch tonight. "It's a shame that he doesn't get the appreciation he deserves in terms of the contribution over that period and what he's going to go away with in terms of his CV," added the Aston Villa boss. There were smiles and embraces with players, including Brazilian Casamerio, who has previously spoken out in support of the Welshman when he was booed and whistled by supporters at the Bernabeu earlier on this year.

A fifth Champions League final pocketed, Gareth Bale teams up with Wales in the next 24 hours for an even more important date with destiny as he seeks to ...

Would that suit someone who knows he needs to rest his body with the World Cup approaching? It seems unlikely on the surface, but even Wales boss Rob Page admits the Bluebirds 'tick a lot of boxes' for Bale. His agent Jonathan Barnett has already stated Bale's next move would be for personal reasons, where he wants to play, rather than financial. Remember, Bale burst through with Southampton and Wales at the age of 16 and he's been kicked from pillar to post during the intervening 16 years. Bale has plenty of football left in him. This is the one scenario no-one in Wales wants to see happen.