Lisbon: A jubilant Gareth Bale said that his crucial extra-time goal, which helped steer Real Madrid to a 4-1 Champions League triumph, will live with him forever. Welsh star Bale, the world’s most expensive player, had missed three regulation time chances before he headed home to make it 2-1 in extra-time as Real won the European title for the 10th time.
“The price tag means nothing to me,” said Bale who moved to Real last year from Tottenham in a world record deal. “I would have come here for a penny if it meant I could play in the big tournaments and win the big titles. It’s unbelievable to lift this trophy — it will be a memory which will live with me forever,” he added.
Bale said he never gave up hope that Real would win the match despite needing an injury-time header from Sergio Ramos to take the final into extra-time. “We have played Atletico four times this season and they are always close games. It was difficult when they went in front, but we kept trying to break them down,” added Bale.
“But we got the goal in injury time. That gave us the momentum. We kept playing our game, we kept attacking and we always believed we could win,” he said. Bale did briefly fear his missed chances may have proved costly. “I had a feeling it may not be my night, but I told myself to keep persevering and that one will come. When I had the chance in extra-time I just told myself ‘don’t miss it’.”
Such was Real’s relief at winning their 10th European crown after a 12-year wait that captain Iker Casillas said it meant more than winning the World Cup with Spain four years ago. “The 10th is more than the World Cup. It has been a long time since we won the Champions League. Ten is a round number,” he said.
“It has not been easy, but we deserved it for how we have played in the tournament. We had our bit of luck that we lacked before to equalise and then Bale’s goal killed them.”
