“I still love the team” - Gareth Bale predicts winner of Champions League final between Real Madrid and Dortmund
Former Wales superstar Gareth Bale has backed his former team Real Madrid to win the 2024 UEFA Champions League. Los Blancos are set to face German outfit Borussia Dortmund in the final on June 1 at the Wembley Stadium in London.
Bale expects his former side to get the job done on Saturday, based on the fact that Real Madrid have previous experience of delivering at the big stage. The now-retired winger revealed that he still loves the side he left in 2022 and still follows them throughout the season.
Gareth Bale was quoted as saying the following (via Madrid Xtra on X):
"Real Madrid? I was there for a long time. I still watch their games and look for their results, I still love the team, I still support them, just as I did when I was young. I fully expect Real Madrid to lift the UCL trophy. They understand the pressures and know what to expect, which is a big plus."
Real Madrid have had an excellent 2023-24 season and could end on a high by lifting their 15th European Cup/Champions League on Saturday. Carlo Ancelotti's side have already secured La Liga and the Supercopa de Espana earlier this season.
Los Blancos have had a tough route to the final. They narrowly scrapped past defending champions Manchester City in the quarterfinals, defeating them in a penalty shootout following a 4-4 draw on aggregate across two legs.
Madrid then secured a closely-contested 4-3 aggregate win over Bayern Munich in the semifinals to book a place in the final at Wembley.
Borussia Dortmund, on the other hand, have beaten Inter Milan, Atletico Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) on road to the final. The German giants last played a Champions League final in 2013 which was also at Wembley Stadium. They lost 2-1 to rivals Bayern Munich on that occasion with Arjen Robben scoring a last-minute winner.
Gareth Bale won five UEFA Champions League titles with Real Madrid
Gareth Bale is one of Real Madrid's modern-day greats who formed part of five Champions League-winning squads. He joined the club in 2014 for then world-record fee of €101 million and lifted the Champions League trophy in 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2022.
Bale has also made crucial contributions in two finals. In 2014 against rivals Atletico Madrid, he scored to give his side the lead in extra time. Madrid would go on to score two more in extra time to secure a 4-1 win.
However, his biggest contribution came in the 2018 Champions League final against Liverpool in Kyiv. Gareth Bale netted a brace on that occasion, including an overhead kick to help his side beat the Reds 3-1.
Gareth Bale made 258 appearances for Real Madrid and contributed 106 goals and 67 assists along the way. He also won three La Liga titles, three FIFA Club World Cups, three UEFA Super Cups and one Copa Del Rey trophy during his time in Spain.
Bale left Los Blancos in 2022 and joined Major League Soccer (MLS) outfit Los Angeles FC where he played for one season before hanging his boots.