MX23RW : Thursday, December 12 22:21:18| >> :120:14229:14229:
[monks data]
Attendance: 61,561
Real Madrid logo
Champions League | Final
May 26, 2018 at 7.45pm UK
 
Liverpool logo

3-1

Benzema (51'), Bale (64', 83')
FT(HT: 0-0)
Mane (55')

Ryan Giggs: 'Gareth Bale has to start Champions League final'

Ryan Giggs: 'Bale has to start CL final'
© SilverHub
Ryan Giggs insists that Gareth Bale will 'make a difference' if he is handed a starting spot for Real Madrid in their meeting with Liverpool on Saturday evening.

Wales manager Ryan Giggs has suggested that Real Madrid counterpart Zinedine Zidane would be taking a big gamble if he leaves Gareth Bale out of his starting lineup for this weekend's Champions League final.

The 28-year-old forward has started just three times for Los Blancos so far in this season's competition, as Zidane has instead gone with Isco, Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema as his most advanced players.

Giggs believes that Bale is a game-changing talent, though, as he proved in the 2014 final when scoring a key goal against Atletico Madrid - the first of three European Cup triumphs in four years for Los Blancos.

"Every time he is involved, he makes a difference. He can do special things and has scored a lot of goals," Giggs told Sky Sports News ahead of Madrid's meeting with Liverpool on Saturday.

"He is someone who is very hard to defend against as he can score all types of goals. Of course Real have a lot of good players but, from my point of view, Bale would always be in my starting team.

"It would be amazing if Real Madrid do it. It is great for Gareth, but also for Wales to have somebody representing the country, and somebody who has won so much."

Giggs will be without Bale, as well as Ben Woodburn and Danny Ward, for Wales's friendly against Mexico next week due to their Champions League commitments.

ID:326810: cacheID:326810:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:3002:
Written by
Daniel Lewis
No Data Analysis info
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Roberto Firmino celebrates scoring the fourth during the Premier League game between Bournemouth and Liverpool on December 17, 2017
Read Next:
Combined XI: Real Madrid vs. Liverpool
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS

League Phase

TeamPWDLPTS
1Liverpool660018
2Barcelona650115
3B. Leverkusen641113
4Inter Milan641113
5Brest641113
6Arsenal641113
7Aston Villa641113
8Lille641113
9Bayern640212
10Dortmund640212
11Atletico640212
12AC Milan640212
13Atalanta632111
14Juventus632111
15Benfica631210
16Feyenoord631210
17Brugge631210
18Monaco631210
19Sporting Lisbon631210
20Real Madrid63039
21Celtic62319
22Man City62228
23PSV62228
24Dinamo Zagreb62228
25PSG62137
26Stuttgart62137
27Shakhtar61144
28Sparta Prague61144
29Sturm Graz61053
30Girona61053
31Red Star61053
32Salzburg61053
33Bologna60242
34RB Leipzig60060
35Slovan Bratislava60060
36Young Boys60060


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!