Gareth Bale scored his first Spurs goal for seven years as Jose Mourinho’s side picked up three points against Brighton, with the manager confirming how he plans to use the attacker in the coming weeks. Mourinho confirmed after the game that Bale is not quite ready to play a full game for Spurs, but they will be building up his stamina over the next few weeks.
Jose Mourinho said “He doesn’t have 90 minutes in his legs yet. We are using the Europa League to get him minutes and when we can in the Premier League. He is of course getting better and better and better. He will start again on Thursday but he will not play 90 minutes. I will use him in the right way.”
Bale left Spurs for Real Madrid back in 2013, winning four Champions League titles and two La Ligas along the way, before making the move back to North London this summer on loan. The winger has come close to opening his account for Spurs despite not yet featuring regularly. However, he re-opened his account at Spurs with a fine header from Sergio Reguilon’s cross to put his side back in the lead, after Harry Kane’s penalty had been cancelled out by a Tariq Lamptey effort.
Barring any unforeseen problems in the next few days, Bale will be starting away to Ludogorets in the Europa League on Thursday, before Spurs face a trip to West Brom in the last fixture before an international break. Mourinho will then have a keen eye on Wales’ international fixtures, with Ryan Giggs’ side facing three fixtures in quick succession. First up there is a friendly against the United States, before two Nations League fixtures against Ireland and Finland.
