Bale named semi-final man of the match

Gareth Bale was named man of the match against Kashima Antlers. The Whites’ forward played an hour of the game and scored all three goals on the way to a win which sent the team into the Club World Cup final. The Welshman, already picked as the best player in this year’s Champions League showpiece, was a key figure once again in Abu Dhabi to guide Real Madrid to a clash with Al Ain in an attempt to retain their title.

Bale spoke about the win over the Japanese side: “I think the most important thing today was to win. We knew it would be a tricky game against a tough team. It was great to core three goals but the vital thing for me is to get my team into the final. We have the chance to win another trophy and now I'm just feeling glad to be in the final. We are going to start preparations tomorrow. It's a trophy that I personally want to win, and it means a great deal to the club. We all work hard to become champions".

individual performance
"i don't have to answer to anyone, I just play my football and do my best for the team. I've played down the left, down the right and through the middle throughout my career. I'm comfortable wherever the coach sees fit. It was a tough game, but when all is said and done, we made it to the final”.