It was 2010 and Tottenham didn't even dream of reaching a Champions League final. In fact, being in the competition was almost a dream for the Spurs who have lived a decade of unstoppable growth that, for now, has not translated into titles. 10 years ago, Harry Kane was still with the U18s and Lloris already stood out at the Olympique de Lyon but the stars were Modric, Crouch and a very young Bale who was beginning to emerge as an emerging talent.
That season, Tottenham visited Giuseppe Meazza to play against Inter, who had just been proclaimed champions. In the first half, the Spurs paid for inexperience and a bad day. 4-0 at halftime and, although the game ended in defeat, it changed Bale's career after a huge second half in which he almost forced a draw. The match ended 4-3 with three goals from the Welshman and the world surrendered to his speed, power and talent. A graduation in Europe that was almost lost.
In The Athletic, Les Ferdinand, assistant to Harry Redknapp, coach of that Tottenham, recalls how that game was and how together with his teammates he tried to convince the coach to remove Bale at halftime given the result (4-0) and that they were with ten for the expulsion of Gomes for knocking down Biabiany hard inside the area. “I remember perfectly. We came down from the stands where we were watching the game and Tim said to him,” Harry, maybe you should save him (Bale) for the weekend. There is a game ahead of us that is going to be more important than this one. I remember Harry saying something like “you're crazy, he's our best player”. We all stay thinking “Let's go 4-0 down, what do you want to do? Do you let him or take him away?” Harry came over and told us that he would leave him in the field, “he confesses.
After this discussion, he explains, they gave the necessary instructions to the players and asked them to try to win the partial score in the second half although they were not overly confident. “We were down 4-0 but it looked like six or seven. Gareth was great. We always knew that Gareth was capable of doing things like that. He was growing as a player and also his confidence. There is always one night as a player that you think is the one that drove you. , the one that made you a player, and he remembers it that way “, confesses Ferdinand. They did not trust but if so Redknapp, who explains his reasons. “I thought we had to maintain some kind of threat against him. The idea of taking him out did not quite enter my mind. He is an impressive player,” he emphasizes the english coach.
Bale's dance partner that night was Maicon. The Brazilian was, at that time, the best in his position. Unbeatable up and down until he found Gareth, who was his nightmare at a time when his career was dreamy. “Maicon was seen as the best in the world at that time but in that second half no one was able to stop Gareth Bale,” he recalls Coach.
Two unstoppable runs from the left that ended with a better definition and an excellent shot from Lennon served him to hat-trick and shine significantly for the first time in Europe. A graduation that was almost lost … and that he will now try to emulate under Jose Mourinho in the Europa League.
Taxi to Maicon
The match in Milan is history but in England they also remember the return, in which Bale was once again a nightmare for the Brazilian side. His performance, in addition to that of Milan, was of such magnitude that the White Hart Lane fans ended up asking for a “Taxi for Maicon”. Roulette, racing, overflowing and a song that ended up serving as a nickname for another game among the best of the Welshman's career. The Taxi party for Maicon.