His time is now

The new-look Real Madrid side will face off against a traditionally difficult opponent. Athletic Bilbao are notoriously hard to beat on their own turf and will be looking for all three points themselves. 

As a result, Gareth Bale is aware that this Saturday more than most he will have to live up to his new tag as the leader of Real Madrid, in one of the first real challenges of the season. 

After winning with no real issues against Getafe, Girona and Leganes, this will be the first acid test for Julen Lopetegui and his players, but they are in form. Along with Bale, Karim Benzema and Marco Asensio are playing the best they have in years. 

Bale is celebrating five years since his first goal with Real Madrid, and he will be looking to add to the 92 he has scored in 194 games since then. 

Already, he has made Cristiano Ronaldo a distant memory in the rear view mirror, picking up the slack left by the departure of the Portguese to Juventus. 

In what is now his sixth season in Madrid, this is without doubt the most promising for the Welsh wizard in the Spanish capital. He already has three goals and two assists in four competitive games. The fans are onside, and he is finally playing with freedom in the absence of more illustrious team mates. 

The only game in which he failed to score was the European Super Cup defeat to Atletico, and he did manage to contribute an assist. It's three in three in the league, and he will be looking to increase that in San Mames.