A year ago as Gareth Bale sneaked out the side exit to Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu stadium he was engulfed by cat calls and insults by his own fans.
They were infuriated at his inability to take a slew of chances as Madrid bowed out of the Champions League semi-finals to Juventus.
Twelve months on, Bale is the man fit and in form as Real looked to seal their place in a 14th European Cup final on Wednesday when Manchester City visit the Bernabeu with their semi-final delicately poised at 0-0 after the first leg.
Bale has stood up to be counted in the absence of injured three-time World Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo in recent weeks to keep Madrid's hopes of a La Liga and Champions League double alive.
For the first time in his three years in Madrid, the Welshman has stamped his authority on the side to demonstrate he could prove to be Ronaldo's successor as top dog at the Bernabeu as president Florentino Perez hoped when shelling out over 100 million euros ($114 million) to secure his services from Tottenham Hotspur.
By Bale’s own admission, his second season in the Spanish capital was one to forget as Madrid ended the campaign without a major trophy having promised so much during a 22-game winning run from September to January.
• Read more: When Gareth Bale 'is fit you notice' glows Zinedine Zidane after Real Madrid win
• Also see: Gareth Bale wins it late and Real Madrid stay in title hunt – in pictures
“Maybe last season I didn’t play to anywhere near to my potential,” he said recently.
“It’s good to have a bad season, you really do learn a lot about yourself and I feel this season I took last season on board.
“I understand the game a lot more over here and hopefully there is a lot still more to come in the future.”
Bale has already experienced Champions League glory, scoring in the final against local rivals Atletico Madrid to deliver Real's treasured "La Decima" – a 10th European Cup.
Yet, even that didn’t shield the 26-year-old from the criticism that followed last season.
Bale has often struggled to adapt to his surroundings in the Spanish capital and the pressure that comes with being the world’s most expensive player.
He has yet to speak to the media in Spanish, although he claims to be able to make himself understood in the dressing room.
Yet, his image as an over-priced and injury-prone luxury has been transformed in recent weeks as he led a fightback from 2-0 down to win 3-2 at Rayo Vallecano with a double last weekend and followed that up with the winner as an under-strength Real won a 10th consecutive La Liga game 1-0 at Real Sociedad on Saturday.
Madrid sports daily AS's front page on Saturday morning declared: "The league goes through Bale."
Whilst his talent was doubted by few, the character, personality and leadership shown by Bale in Ronaldo’s absence has surprised many in Madrid.
Yet, his resurgence still lacks the kudos of a famous Champions League night at the Bernabeu.
Bale has yet to register a goal in this season's competition, whilst Ronaldo has 16 in 10 games – including a stunning hat-trick that turned around a 2-0 first leg deficit to Wolfsburg in the quarter-finals.
"I thought as soon as La Decima was done, they'd be happy," Bale told The Times last week.
“But no, It’s just in the club’s nature, they want to win the European Cup every year. It’s instilled in you and you go for it every year.”
Ronaldo is expected to return from a thigh strain on Wednesday, but City’s visit offers Bale the chance to step out of his shadow and make his mark when it really matters at Madrid.
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If you go...
Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.
Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Who are the Sacklers?
The Sackler family is a transatlantic dynasty that owns Purdue Pharma, which manufactures and markets OxyContin, one of the drugs at the centre of America's opioids crisis. The family is well known for their generous philanthropy towards the world's top cultural institutions, including Guggenheim Museum, the National Portrait Gallery, Tate in Britain, Yale University and the Serpentine Gallery, to name a few. Two branches of the family control Purdue Pharma.
Isaac Sackler and Sophie Greenberg were Jewish immigrants who arrived in New York before the First World War. They had three sons. The first, Arthur, died before OxyContin was invented. The second, Mortimer, who died aged 93 in 2010, was a former chief executive of Purdue Pharma. The third, Raymond, died aged 97 in 2017 and was also a former chief executive of Purdue Pharma.
It was Arthur, a psychiatrist and pharmaceutical marketeer, who started the family business dynasty. He and his brothers bought a small company called Purdue Frederick; among their first products were laxatives and prescription earwax remover.
Arthur's branch of the family has not been involved in Purdue for many years and his daughter, Elizabeth, has spoken out against it, saying the company's role in America's drugs crisis is "morally abhorrent".
The lawsuits that were brought by the attorneys general of New York and Massachussetts named eight Sacklers. This includes Kathe, Mortimer, Richard, Jonathan and Ilene Sackler Lefcourt, who are all the children of either Mortimer or Raymond. Then there's Theresa Sackler, who is Mortimer senior's widow; Beverly, Raymond's widow; and David Sackler, Raymond's grandson.
Members of the Sackler family are rarely seen in public.
Squid Game season two
Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun
Rating: 4.5/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
Monster
Directed by: Anthony Mandler
Starring: Kelvin Harrison Jr., John David Washington
3/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
Results:
First Test: New Zealand 30 British & Irish Lions 15
Second Test: New Zealand 21 British & Irish Lions 24
Third Test: New Zealand 15 British & Irish Lions 15
