Gareth Bale finds himself reborn at Real Madrid

Gareth Bale appeared to be on his way out of Real Madrid at the end of last season, but three months later, he finds himself reborn.

After the Champions League final in Kiev, where he was the hero, he spoke loud and clear about his situation: either it changes, or he leaves.

Now, the dynamic has indeed changed and the Welshman is happier than ever, having reclaimed his place in the starting lineup.

This is a new Bale for many reasons.

Confidence from the club

The Madrid hierarchy have full confidence in Bale and have made it clear to him that he is a key player in the new project. He would now be given the responsibility that he had wanted ever since joining Los Blancos in the summer of 2013. The meeting that took place was hugely important following his comments in Kiev which left his future up in the air.

Julen Lopetegui's star man

As soon as he became Real Madrid coach, Julen Lopetegui echoed the board's sentiment. Without Cristiano Ronaldo, Bale would be the star and the player that carries the responsibility in attack. In fact, Lopetegui has personally made sure that the Welshman feels as comfortable as possible on the pitch and plays a leading role. He has made the 29-year-old feel important again and that is clearly showing in his performances. He is more involved and more influential.

'Free' from Cristiano

Bale has been the great beneficiary of Ronaldo's departure. The Portuguese drew all the attention and left Bale sidelined. Ronaldo was very Ronaldo. Without him, Bale has free reign to lead Real in attack and push them on. A similar situation, relative speaking, to his national team. In Madrid, he felt like just another player, but for Wales he was the star. Now, finally he feels like he has everyone fully behind him.

Happy and motivated

In every sense, Bale feels happy and motivated at Real Madrid now, possibly more than ever. He has recovered the dream of succeeding at Los Blancos, which seemed impossible before. He is eager to not let this opportunity escape him. He is the 'boss' of the attack and wants to now fulfil his vast potential.

Injury free

Physical condition is key for the new Bale. Finally he is free of injury, something which has relentlessly plagued him in recent years. The Welsh forward has gone nine months without any problem and now has more confidence in his own fitness. He has left his fears of injury behind him and can now focus on being in the best shape possible.

More involved

For a while now, Bale felt like he wasn't involved in the group, he was on the periphery, he was isolated. That feeling also spread to the pitch where at times he looked cut-off from his teammates. Now this picture is very different. He looks more involved and more influential in the team dynamic and his teammates are always looking to get the ball to him. He is the go-to attacking player.