GARETH BALE is on the verge of a third straight Champions League winner’s medal — and a fourth in total.
For any footballer, let alone a British one, this would be an outstanding achievement.
Yet the question for Real Madrid fans here in the Spanish capital yesterday was whether Bale will be unleashed from the start against Liverpool in Kiev on Saturday.
In the space of just over a month, Bale has transformed himself from rank outsider to contender for Zinedine Zidane’s XI.
It is now clear there is no love lost between these two but the Wales ace, 28, deserves credit for showing the guts to recover from humiliation at the hands of Zidane.
Bale suffered jeers from Bernabeu fans as he was hooked at half-time of the 3-1 Champions League quarter-final second-leg defeat to Juventus, after Real’s almighty early collapse.
Over the course of a season that has seen him struggle with injury and form, Bale’s relationship with Zidane nosedived to an all-time low.
And while he watched Real stumble past Juve into the semi-finals — courtesy of Cristiano Ronaldo’s 97th-minute spot-kick — the Welshman will have wondered if he would feature prominently again.
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But as the countdown continues to one of the most intriguing European finals for years, Bale has a chance.
He is bang in form, with five goals in his last four La Liga games.
Bale struck early in Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Villarreal to ensure Zidane’s selection headache continues.
Domestically, Real finished third behind Atletico Madrid.
Asked about Bale, Zidane said: “He’s never given up. He kept working hard on the training pitch.
“If there is a difference now, it’s for the goals that he is scoring because he has been on a great run. He is happy and full of confidence on the pitch.”
Zizou added: “We cannot be happy with our league campaign — but it’s over and we’re in the Champions League final.”
Keeper Keylor Navas, rested at Villarreal to give Zidane’s son Luca his Real debut, will return against Liverpool.
The back four and midfield three tend to pick themselves
but Zidane must choose three from his top four attackers — plunging Bale into a battle with Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Isco.
Marco Asensio now looks certain to start on the bench.
Ronaldo is a shoo-in and normally, the same would apply to Benzema.
As a result, the final spot could be a shootout between Isco and Bale.
At the final in his home city of Cardiff 12 months ago, Bale was beaten to that starting spot by Isco.
Yet the ex-Tottenham star had been injured ahead of the game and was half-fit coming on as a sub.
At Villarreal, apart from his goal, Bale was the sharpest Real player.
The fact Isco started meant there is an outside chance Benzema — who did not have much impact as a sub — could miss out.
But recent history is not on Bale’s side.
He has played just five Champions League games this season, starting only two.
His Real future remains unclear. Bale would prefer to see a new manager in charge but that will only happen if Zidane walks away because he will not be sacked.
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Manchester United may be interested in Bale but they would have to get somewhere near his £650,000-a-week wages.
Bale joined Real from Spurs in 2013 to win trophies.
And despite his troubles, that is what he is doing — with a La Liga and a Copa del Rey to add to his Euro treble.
He is still Britain’s best current player and he will hope to prove it on Saturday.
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