Football
Dermot Corrigan, Madrid correspondent 7y

Gareth Bale: Goal just 'extra bonus' in his return from injury for Real Madrid

Gareth Bale said he was just happy to be back playing and a goal on his return was an "extra bonus" after the Real Madrid star netted on his return to action in Saturday's 2-0 La Liga win at home to Espanyol.

Three months after he injured an ankle against Sporting Lisbon in late November -- and after missing 17 Madrid games across four competitions -- Bale entered the fray midway through the second half.

At first it appeared the Wales international did not to want to risk a full sprint, but he then did not hold back when sent clear on goal by Isco's perfectly weighted through ball to clinch the three points for the leaders in La Liga.

Speaking in the Bernabeu mixed zone after the game, the €100 million galactico said he had just been aiming to get back out onto the pitch, but had then seized the chance to score when it arrived.

"I was happy just to be on the pitch," Bale said. "To get a goal is an extra bonus and thankful to help the team and see the game off.

"I was trying to be clever coming back. You don't want to go 100 percent into a sprint and pull a hamstring. There were a few times when maybe I could have knocked it and gone, but I wanted to be patient and build my confidence.

"It was my first game back and we were 1-0 up, it wasn't as if we were losing. Then obviously when I had the chance to go I went. I had to pick my right moment and to build it slowly."

The former Tottenham player was cautious when asked if he expected now to start in Madrid's La Liga games this week at Valencia on Wednesday and at Villarreal on Sunday.

"I've been out for three months so it will take a few weeks to get back to 100 percent," he said. "It's just about managing my game time, I've only been back training five days so we'll try and build everything up until I can play 90 minutes.

"It depends how I feel game by game. Today was 20 minutes. I will speak with the manager about Valencia and Villarreal and hopefully just building up to [full fitness].

"Three months is a long time out. You don't want to come back and get some niggles straight away so it is just about being clever and building fitness back up slowly."

Bale said he hoped to gradually return to full match fitness in plenty of time for Wales' World Cup 2018 qualifier against Republic of Ireland on March 24.

"I plan not to get injured any more so hopefully now I can keep building my fitness up over the next few weeks, the next three, four, five games," he said. "And hopefully I can be fit for Real Madrid as soon as possible to play 90 minutes, and obviously for Wales as well."

Having three months out during the season could mean he is in ideal condition when the really decisive games come around in April and May, Bale accepted.

"Every cloud has a silver lining, hopefully I am a bit fresher than maybe some others," he said. "It can work in my advantage to be out for a little bit, but the important thing now is to get back to 100 percent and playing well.

"We want to win all the trophies we can, and hopefully I can help the team to do that."

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