Kashima Antlers 1-3 Real Madrid: Talking Points and Observations

#4 Gareth Bale grabbed a stunning hat-trick

This was Gareth's best performance of the season, and not just statistically.

Gareth Bale looked the best version of himself, bombing down the left flank, drifting into dangerous spaces, always looking to score or create a goal for his team. Granted, it was against a far inferior level of opposition than what he usually faces(no disrespect to Kashima Antlers), but his movement, vision, and anticipation were at the best level we have seen all season.

Gareth scored a hattrick, and whilst we can't realistically expect him to keep up this feat in coming fixtures, he must keep up the intensity of his performance tonight for the rest of the season, as the club and it's fans are desperately looking for someone to lead them from the front after the departure of Ronaldo to Juventus in the summer. Tonight's performance showed us what he is capable of doing, now he's got to keep this up.