Gareth Bale's Real Madrid career reached its lowest point in last season's Champions League semi-final... now he can earn complete redemption against Man City

• e-mail

It was at this point one year ago that Gareth Bale's Real Madrid career crashed to its nadir.

The defending champions had been eliminated by Juventus at the Bernabeu and the Welshman was very much the scapegoat. He seemingly couldn't do anything right that night, miscontrolling the ball, misplacing too many passes and spurning a gilt-edged chance just after the hour mark.

It was the evening when Bale discovered that even the world's most expensive player does not have immunity from the howling mob of demanding Madrid fans.

Gareth Bale rues a missed chance as Real Madrid crashed out to Juventus in the Champions League semi-finals last season. The Welshman was made a scapegoat by fans for the 3-2 aggregate defeat

Juventus got the better of Real last season but the Spanish giants have the chance to earn redemption when they take on Manchester City in the second leg on Wednesday night

The Welshman is all smiles as he trains ahead of the second leg with Manchester City on Wednesday 

Bale has been in excellent form of late, scoring the crucial goals to keep Real's title challenge going

The boos and whistles cascaded down the steep banks of the Bernabeu, insults were directed his way as he drove away from the stadium and Bale, a year on from playing a vital role in the club's 10th European Cup triumph, found himself right back on square one.

It has been a long road back into their affections but sport, and it's season-by-season cycle, often throws up a shot at redemption sooner or later.

So here we are again: A Champions League semi-final, second leg. Real with the opportunity to reach the final if they can beat Manchester City. Another chance for a glorious finale.

And this time we encounter Bale in some of the best form of his life. Twelve months on from that debacle and he has pretty much become the complete player Madrid wanted.

The Spanish title race is set to go down to the wire, with Real just a point behind Barcelona and Atletico

Bale celebrates after heading home the winning goal against Real Sociedad on Saturday

Real coach Zinedine Zidane was in a relaxed mood as his team trained on the eve of the semi-final return

Real have been boosted ahead of the second leg by Cristiano Ronaldo's return to full fitness

The Spanish sports papers have focused extensively on Ronaldo's return, with Monday's front page of Marca going with the headline 'the cannon is ready' 

Of course, all the focus ahead of the second leg has been on Cristiano Ronaldo and his timely return from injury as Real chase goals following last week's 0-0 draw in Manchester.

The Portuguese has adorned the front pages of all the Spanish sports dailies this week, with Monday's Marca calling him a 'cannon' ready to fire Real to the San Siro final.

Bale still finds himself in Ronaldo's shadow but shines nonetheless. After nearly three years in Spain, he has become used to playing second fiddle and is comfortable with it.

It has been an injury-disrupted season for the 26-year-old, yet he has still managed to score 19 goals (all in the league) and lay on 13 assists. It's a satisfactory return.

More importantly, this contribution and Real's run to the semi-finals has helped heal those differences with the supporters and if he scores on Wednesday night, he may well be totally forgiven.

The crowning achievement of Bale's Real career so far came when he scored in extra time in the 2014 final

Bale's goal helped to kill off a spirited Atletico Madrid resistance and the two sides could meet again

Bale lifts the European Cup after Real's 4-1 win over Atletico in the 2014 final in Lisbon 

Ronaldo has 47 goals this season and his untimely injury could well have killed off Real's season. Not a bit of it. Bale and others have kept the fires burning.

At Rayo Vallecano, Real trailed 2-0 inside a quarter-hour and the title was slipping from their grasp. Bale led the comeback charge, scoring twice, including an 81st-minute winner.

He then headed the winner at Real Sociedad on Saturday, keeping up the pressure on Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, both of whom are a point clear with two matches to play.

Since returning from his own injury setback, Bale has contributed a steady flow of goals, assists and generally match-winning performances to keep Real's season on course.

His form also augurs well for Wales ahead of their first appearance in a European Championship finals this summer.

It was back in May 2014, on a balmy night in Lisbon, that Bale enjoyed the finest moment of his career, scoring in extra-time to help Real beat rivals Atletico Madrid and end that agonising wait for La Decima - their 10th European Cup win.

Well, Atletico are already in this year's final. It just remains for Bale and Real to come and join them.