Gareth Bale had a bitter-sweet start to his Real Madrid career when the world's most expensive player scored on debut but Real dropped their first points of the La Liga campaign in a 2-2 draw at promoted Villarreal on Saturday.
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The Wales winger, who joined from Tottenham Hotspur for a record fee of €100 million earlier this month, struck in the 38th minute at the Madrigal to make it 1-1 after Cani had put the home side ahead in the 21st.
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Playing in a three-pronged attack with Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema, Bale sped into the area and clipped a Dani Carvajal cross into the net with his right foot before being mobbed by his new teammates.
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The 24-year-old, whose pre-season training was disrupted by the protracted negotiations over his move, was replaced by Angel Di Maria on the hour.
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Ronaldo, the €94-million man who Bale succeeded as the most valuable player in soccer, netted a bizarre goal to put Real ahead in the 64th minute when his own shot cannoned back off a defender onto his leg and ricocheted into the net.
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It was hard on an impressive Villarreal side, who were denied by a string of brilliant saves from Diego Lopez, but they were level in the 70th minute when Giovani Dos Santos, another former Tottenham player, lashed in a shot that crept into the net off the Real keeper.
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The draw spoiled Real's perfect start to the season and they have 10 points from four matches, the same as Villarreal and two behind champions Barcelona and Atletico Madrid.
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"It is very good news that he (Bale) scored on his debut," former Real forward Emilio Butragueno, now a club director, said in an interview with Spanish television broadcaster Canal Plus.
That shows the kind of quality player he is cos that goal was fantastic. Too bad Real Madrid drew the game tho!