Gareth Bale turned up for his first day at the office and was warmly welcomed by the man he has replaced as the world’s most expensive footballer.
Perhaps conscious of Bale being seen as a pretender to Cristiano Ronaldo’s crown in the Spanish capital, Real Madrid made sure there was an early display of a united front as Bale was greeted by the man he referred to as ‘the boss’ in his presentation last week.
The two galacticos shook hands in a heavily staged ‘chance meeting’ in the club car park.
It is the picture Real president Florentino Perez has been desperate to see ever since Barcelona unveiled £48million Brazil star Neymar as Lionel Messi’s sidekick.
Galacticos United: Cristiano Ronaldo welcomes Gareth Bale to Real Madrid on Wednesday
Welcome aboard: Bale and Ronaldo share a smile as they arrive at Real Madrid's training ground
Greeting: Coach Carlo Ancelotti shows Bale around
Guided tour: Bale has a look around the training complex and gets to know the staff
It was the man-bag versus the carrier bag as the anxious Madrid press got their first shots of the two men together — Ronaldo, Gucci number visible under his arm, and Bale, carrying a white plastic bag.
The Welshman sported neither the sunglasses nor the back-to-front cap that have drawn comparisons with Ronaldo in recent weeks.
With temperatures reaching 25 degrees, Bale took to the training pitch for the first time at 5pm.
After some light physical work alone with Real fitness
coach Giovanni Mauri, he joined the rest of his team-mates as
preparations begin for Saturday’s trip to Villarreal. But there was no
chance to start building an understanding with Ronaldo as the Portugal
forward trained apart with Isco, both men nursing knocks.
Casual: Bale didn't seem to be feeling the weight of expectation following his world record transfer
Attention now turns to how soon Ronaldo and Bale will be seen on the same pitch in a game.
Ancelotti is planning to start with Bale on the bench
against Villarreal, easing him into life at his new club by bringing him
on as a second-half substitute.
He played just 33 minutes on Tuesday for Wales and their
coach Chris Coleman suggested he was still not ready for a full game
having appeared only once for Spurs in pre-season.
Bale’s first start could come on Tuesday against
Galatasaray in the Champions League, or next weekend when Real entertain
Getafe.
Arrival: Gareth Bale lands in Madrid after being on international duty with Wales
Question time: Bale was besieged by reporters as he got out of the car at his hotel in Madrid
Muscling in: Bale has worked hard to bulk up
Nothing to stomach: Bale reveals his six-pack as he prepares to come on
Armed and dangerous: Bale is much stronger, down to his training regime
Slim pickings: A much thinner teenage Bale (right) training with Wales in 2006
Expectations that Ancelotti might be forced to change his conservative plan and give Bale a start on Saturday were raised by injuries to several Madrid internationals.
Full back Fabio Coentrao returned from Portugal duty
with a muscle problem that could rule him out and there was speculation
that Bale would be asked to turn back the clock and make his bow in the
back four.
But despite Coentrao’s problems and first-choice left
back Marcelo also being ruled out it seems unlikely Bale will be asked
to play his first match as a defender.
Strong candidate: Cristiano Ronaldo is a supreme athlete
Biceps bulging: Ronaldo takes his shirt off and celebrates a goal
Well on his way: Bale was looking after his body when he was at Tottenham last season
Transformer: Ronaldo went from being a skinny teen (left) to being built like a middleweight boxer
On the ball: Bale is unveiled at the Bernabeu and should make his Real debut on Saturday
Madrid are conscious of the importance of such a big signing getting off to the best possible start.
If midfielder Isco’s fitness does not improve, that
could also open the door to Bale but Ancelotti has told his staff that
the ideal scenario is for his side to take the lead against Villarreal
and for Bale to come on in the second half, when he will find space
against a team chasing the game.
Wednesday’s greeting from Ronaldo set the tone.
Don't over stretch him: Wales boss Chris Coleman says Bale is not ready to play a full match
Bale arrived in Madrid yesterday morning and was driven to the same city-centre hotel where his coach Carlo Ancelotti is staying.
He will live there until he sets up home with his family in the same La Finca private estate that is home to Ronaldo.
Ancelotti emerged from Bale’s new temporary home just before the Welshman was driven up by club delegate Javi Coll.
The former Real Madrid basketball player has been employed for so long by the club to help English-speaking players settle in that he remembers David Beckham finding his feet in the city in 2003.
Bale was then driven to Real’s Valdebebas training complex, where Ronaldo was waiting to welcome him.
Can't stop smiling: Gareth Bale looked delighted as he trained with Real Madrid for the first time at their Valdebebas training ground on Wednesday afternoon. The £86m world record signing is set to make his debut against Villarreal on Saturday
Helping hand: Coach Carlo Ancelotti talks Bale through his tactics during a training session as the real players reconvened after international duty
Friends reunited: Bale talks to former Tottenham team-mate Luka Modric as they walk out to the training pitch
Team talk: Bale (third left) stands behind Cristiano Ronaldo as he listens to Ancelotti
