He was hailed as the missing piece for Los Merengues after joining from Tottenham Hotspur; however, he was nothing short of an unmitigated disaster early in his tenure. Then, one defining moment altered his perception in the Spanish capital forever.
No, we're not talking about Gareth Bale.
Not yet at least.
Luka Modric joined Real Madrid in the summer transfer window of 2012, costing the club roughly £30 million. For their returns, the Spanish giants received just one goal and two assists in 35 appearances. Considered the worst signing in the Spanish Liga, Modric admitted he was struggling to adapt to the pressures brought on by being featured in the Santiago Bernabèu (h/t to the Telegraph). "I'm not making excuses. I am not that kind of person, but it is very challenging to adapt to life at a big club like Madrid," he said.
"I have had a few good performances, if not in every game, but I believe that I can prove I have something to offer."
That "something" he had to offer came in the second leg of the 2014 UEFA Champions League tie against Manchester United. Down a goal and up a man, Los Merengues were desperate for a spark to keep their Champions League hopes alive. Modric provided it as a 59' substitution, scoring the pivotal equalizer.
Cristiano Ronaldo would then bury his former club just three minutes later.
One defining moment transformed Luka Modric from the worst signing of the season to a permanent fixture in the club's midfield. In a deeper and less attacking role this season, the Croatian has six assists and a passing accuracy that ranks him No. 8 in the league (89 percent).
Gareth Bale, like Luka Modric, underwent a metamorphosis of his own in the Copa del Rey final.
The $132 million man had a modicum of success since joining Madrid in the summer transfer window, scoring 19 goals across all competitions. That number, as impactful as it sounds, was utterly useless for the club. A transfer fee of his magnitude isn't paid to have a modest impact against the likes of Sevilla nor Rayo Vallecano. It's paid to carry a weighted significance against the likes of Atlètico Madrid and Barcelona.
Unfortunately for Real Madrid, Bale was rather insignificant in his confrontations with the Spanish elite. The Welshman had zero goals and one assist in five previous confrontations, but that statistic is no more.
For the first time in his young career, Bale had a defining moment in the white shirt.
His match-winner against Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final showcased every bit of the raw pace and power he possesses. It was even enough to leave his teammate Xabi Alonso amazed (h/t to the Guardian). "The goal was incredible, I don't think I've seen anything like it," Alonso said.
"It looked like the ball was going out and he was under pressure. He ran off the pitch to keep it in," he added.
"It was just amazing."
With the first chapter of his Real Madrid career in the books, Bale will now look to write the next one. Except this time, it'll be written without the pressures of a $132 million price tag weighing on his shoulders.
Did Gareth Bale silence his critics once and for all after the Copa del Rey final? Tell us @SportsWN
Note: Credit all statistics to Squawka. Data is officially licensed from Opta Sports.
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