Mijatovic: Bale can save Madrid´s season in Champions League final

Former striker Predrag Mijatovic has backed Gareth Bale to “save Real Madrid’s season” by scoring in the Champions League final.

The 10-time European champions will lock horns with city rivals Atletico Madrid in Saturday’s decider in Milan, a rematch of the 2014 final in which the Wales international scored as Los Blancos won 4-1 after extra time.

It has been another difficult season for Madrid, having watched Barcelona retain their La Liga crown and failed to make it past the last 32 in the Copa del Rey, with Rafael Benitez replaced by Zinedine Zidane as coach in January.

But Mijatovic, who spent three years at the Santiago Bernabeu and scored the winning goal in the 1997-98 Champions League final, believes Madrid have a born matchwinner in their ranks, with Bale having also scored in the 2014 Copa and Club World Cup finals.

“There are players that are born with a gift for scoring in finals; it can’t just be a coincidence,” the 47-year-old said via Marca.

“He’s a great player and has scored in them all, let’s hope it continues.”

Mijatovic added: “Real Madrid need to win to save their season.

“If they don’t it would be a second consecutive disappointing season, which would be worrying.”