article_snippet.sent: Real Madrid's Champions League victory over city rivals Atletico on Wednesday night marked the eighth match Gareth Bale has not started this season... and Real have won every single one.
article_snippet.sent: Gareth Bale has not started eight of Real Madrid's matches this season, through injury and omission .
article_snippet.sent: Gareth Bale latest injury, suffered against Malaga, meant Gareth Bale missed Wednesday night's Champions League game .
article_snippet.sent: Gareth Bale's time on the sidelines has coincided with huge matches against Barcelona, two Champions League ties with Liverpool (in which Gareth Bale entered the fray as a 62nd-minute substitute at the Bernabeu), and Wednesday night's European quarter-final against Atletico...
article_snippet.sent: but it seems the rest of the Real squad are just fine without Gareth Bale.
article_snippet.sent: In the first half of the season, Gareth Bale suffered a buttock muscle injury while on international duty with Wales, and Gareth Bale missed La Liga matches against Levante (5-0 win), Barcelona (3-1 win), Granada (4-0 win) and a 3-0 Champions League victory against Liverpool.
article_snippet.sent: Gareth Bale was in contention for the return leg against Liverpool at the Bernabeu, but did not start the match, instead coming on as a second-half substitute.
article_snippet.sent: In December, Madrid were already leading 4-1 against third-tier side Cornella in their Copa del Rey tie heading into the second leg, and Gareth Bale opted to rest some of Gareth Bale biggest names.
article_snippet.sent: That's six games without Gareth Bale in the starting line-up, and six wins for Real.
article_snippet.sent: Moving into 2015, Gareth Bale played a major role in the team's start to the year, scoring 12 goals between Gareth Bale return to the side against Celta Vigo and Gareth Bale omission against Eibar on April 11.
article_snippet.sent: Gareth Bale was sidelined for Real's 3-1 win over Barcelona, in which Cristiano Ronaldo scored a penalty .
article_snippet.sent: Gareth Bale was injured for the game .
article_snippet.sent: Gareth Bale stated in the build-up to the match that Gareth Bale had decided to rest the Welshman, while the team went on to win 3-0 against the team struggling opposition.
article_snippet.sent: Gareth Bale again returned the side for two matches, a goalless draw against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League and a win against Malaga in La Liga, but suffered a calf injury in the early stages of the latter domestic clash.
article_snippet.sent: Instead of taking to the field in the crucial European match on Wednesday night, Gareth Bale was resigned to watching the match from home, where Gareth Bale tweeted Gareth Bale support of the team.
highlights_snippet.sent: Gareth Bale has not started eight of Real Madrid's matches this season .
  