Bale: I would like to take penalties but the coach decides

Gareth Bale's started the season well. He's in a sweet moment of form. The Real Madrid players has shown he's switched on and his goals are going to be there when the team needs them. The Welsh forward scored the third in the win over Girona on Sunday evening. It was a goal that showed how lethal he can be if you leave him space, due to his directness and speed. 

Cristiano Ronaldo's move to Juventus has been a good thing for Bale, given the player now feels like he has a more important role in the team, something which was unthinkable with the Portuguese roaming on Chamartin. The former Tottenham man has scored two league goals this season, but there are other numbers which show his hunger: he has scored nine goals in his last nine games in all competitions. And in 2018, he has scored 16 times in the 1.515 minutes of league football he has played. 

After the Girona win, Bale said: "It's important to start La Liga well and we're happy with the win. We know a game last 90 minutes, not 45. We have to take advantage of the chances which come our way, that's football." 

He also said that he's ready to take the team on his back if required: "I am ready to help the team. We work well together and we have to win all the trophies that we can." 

But not everything that shines is golden. Bale, after watching Sergio Ramos and Karim Benzema score penalties against Girona, would like to take spot kick responsibility himself: "I would like to take penalties, but the manager [Julen Lopetegui] decides and you have to respect his decisions." 

We will see if injuries respect him this season, given he's been blighted by fitness issues during his time at Madrid. If he doesn't have any setbacks this season and keeps his current form going, it's possible that he could have his best Bernabeu season since moving to Spain from England in 2013.