Gareth Bale reminded everyone of how he used to play as Tottenham made it to the knockout stages of the Europa League. Tottenham needed to win so that they could overtake Spurs and Antwerp to make it to the top of Group J. This allowed them to avoid the seeded sides. After 55 minutes, Bale sent them to victory in the 56th minute with a 30-yard free kick into the goal.
How Is Gareth Bale Doing?
Gareth Bale has been improving a lot and looking like the old Bale. He is getting ready for his second start for Tottenham in the Europa League. His fitness has been improving a great deal, and his condition is better. He has been feeling great, and he is approaching his top form again.
In the game against LASK, Bale had 44 touches and attempted 25 passes. He finished with a 72% accuracy. In spite of this, he didn’t have one effort on the goal, and he didn’t create any chances for his team. He was replaced by Son Heung-Min, who had two on-target attempts and scored the Spurs’ third goal.
Favourite Status
Jose Mourinho’s team is number one in top favourites for the European League bets. Mourinho is working hard to toughen up his squad and get his players to become winners. He is not worried about whether or not they win the Europa League, and he says the spurs will not be afraid of anyone in the knockout stages.
The Spurs win over Antwerp puts them at the top of Group J, and he says that he doesn’t want his team to fear any of its possible competition, but he hopes that they avoid drawing the top teams in the earlier rounds.
Knockout Stages
In the knockout stages, his team could draw his former club, Manchester United, although it won’t be until a later round because two countries from the same team can’t meet in the first rounds. Mourinho recognises Manchester United as one of the teams that could win the Europa League. He feels that this brings more quality to the competition. The quality of play improves when the top eight teams drop down.
Bale Elevates Tottenham
The big question is whether Bale elevates Tottenham to the next level. Although some say he still looks fragile, he is improving. He still looks a bit tentative, and he hasn’t quite reached that level where he was. This was always the risk with bringing him back.
There are calls to allow him to start in the Premier League. The key is finding out if he still has the abilities that he had before. They are looking for him to create something. Some felt that Mourinho should have left him in the last game. He might have found his groove and gained his confidence. They believe that Tottenham could raise its game to the next level if Bale should find his confidence again.
Final Words
The question is how far Tottenham will get in the Europa League. If Bale finds his inner confidence, they have a chance at doing well. They won the game against Antwerp to reach the top of the Group J. They will not have to meet Manchester United in the first round because they aren’t able to play a team from the same country in the first rounds.
If Bale finds his inner confidence, the Spurs have a chance at making it to the later rounds. Jose Mourinho needs to trust him to do the right thing and let him play. They won’t have to meet Manchester United in the first rounds, even though they are one of the favourites to win. They will have a chance to get in the groove early on.