Gareth Bale Hints He Might Celebrate if He Scores Against Spurs in Champions League

Real Madrid superstar Gareth Bale has hinted that he may not be able to stop himself from celebrating if he scores against former club Tottenham Hotspur when the pair meet in the Champions League next month, depending on the circumstances of the goal.

Bale retains a very strong affection for Tottenham after joining the club as a teenage prodigy and leaving as one of the best players in the world, but has warned he might not be control himself if he is to net a last gasp winner in the Group H clash on matchday three.

Martin Rose/GettyImages

"I scored against Spurs in a pre-season game a couple of years ago and I didn't really celebrate then," Bale told the Daily Mail ahead of the return of the Champions League this week.

"I suppose it depends on how you feel on the day. If it's a 91st-minute winner, can you control yourself? That's the question."

If Bale does score and does celebrate against his former team, it certainly won't be out of disrespect, as he credits Spurs for a huge part of his football journey after six years with the club.

Hamish Blair/GettyImages

"I started at Southampton so it will always have that 'home' kind of feeling there but I grew up at Tottenham," the Wales hero explained.

"I have a lot of great memories from my time there; some not so great as well but it was a big part of my journey. I love the club and still keep in touch with a lot of people there and the fans were incredible. I really enjoyed playing in those big European nights at White Hart Lane."

It was Bale's form in the Champions League during the 2010/11 campaign, notably a stunning hat-trick against holders Inter Milan, that first catapulted him onto the elite stage.

That Spurs team under the guidance of Harry Redknapp failed to land a major trophy beyond the 2008 League Cup and Bale admits it was a shame given the talent the club later had.

It is something he says he has spoken about with Real colleague Luka Modric, a player with whom he enjoyed playing so much it actually influenced his decision to move to Real a year after the Croatian had made the same move.

"We played very well together at Tottenham. [Modric] being here was a reason why I came to Madrid," Bale revealed. "I knew what a good player he was. I think it helped me settle in a lot quicker. Having someone to help you is massive especially with such a big move abroad."