Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro showed his appreciation for teammate Gareth Bale, who was instrumental in the team's win over Celta Vigo in their opening LaLiga Santander 2019/20 match.
Bale contributed to Los Blancos' first goal which was finished by Karim Benzema, before the team went on to win 3-1.
"He [Bale] has given us titles, he's scored in finals and he has a lot of respect from us all," Casemiro said.
"He has to play. He's a great player and is very important for us."
Real Madrid's win means the team are already three points ahead of Barcelona, who suffered a shock defeat away to Athletic Club on Friday night. But Casemiro is not focused on results elsewhere.
"The Barcelona defeat doesn't change anything," Casemiro added.
"We are thinking about our football and about our matches."