Welshman Gareth Bale was a major absentee for Real Madrid as the 13-time European champions returned to winning ways on style on the back of the Madrid Derby defeat at the hands of Atletico Madrid whom they replaced as La Liga champions. Atletico Madrid had won their first La Liga title in seven years last season, while replacing Real Madrid and the reigning Champions League finalists have returned the favour to their city rivals this season. Real Madrid are back to winning ways thanks to the 6-0 thumping of Levante at home on Thursday night.
Gareth Bale has been missing from the Real Madrid squad since the end of last month due to a back problem. He has missed the last four Real Madrid games in all competitions as a result of the injury.
Bale is on borrowed time at Real Madrid ahead of the final few weeks of this season. The Welshman is set to leave the capital club at the end of his contract this summer. He has been at Real Madrid for almost a decade since the club paid a then world-record transfer fee to sign him from Premier League team Tottenham Hotspur in the summer of 2013. Gareth Bale has won four Champions League titles in his time at Real Madrid and he has the opportunity to win a fifth Champions League title when his team take on Liverpool in the Champions League final at Stade De France in Paris on Saturday, May 28.
Brazilian international Vinicius Junior was the star of the Levante game after he scored three goals. The other goalscorers were Karim Benzema, Ferland Mendy and Rodrygo Goes. With the big win, Levante were confirmed as one of the relegated teams with two games left on the clock.
Real Madrid have already won the La Liga title this season, but they still have two more league games before the end of the season plus the big one against Liverpool in the Champions League final.