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Real Madrid coach Santiago Solari was delighted with Gareth Bale's performance on Wednesday night, after the Welsh international scored a hat-trick against Japanese side Kashima Antlers in the FIFA Club World Cup, to send reigning champions Real to Saturday's final.

Bale, whose stunning overhead kick won the Champions League for Real in May, scored all three goals in the 3-1 win and was undoubtedly the star of the night in Abu Dhabi.

"Bale did everything, he tore them up. The goals, the movement, the performance all over the field," Solari is quoted as saying by Marca.

"He has shown who he is and what he is capable of doing with his performance. We are very happy for him and we hope that he'll do it in the next game.

"Now we can head into the game on Saturday trying to repeat this performance and although we try to help the players, it is they who are responsible and capable of giving great joy to us.

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"That's one of the most important things in football and although we know he will not score three goals in each game, we hope that he will repeat this performance."

Kashima Antlers, who won a maiden AFC Champions League title earlier this year, were playing in their second FIFA Club World Cup after previously facing Real in the 2016 final.

The European side were keen to avoid an embarrassing upset after seeing Copa Libertadores champions River Plate surprisingly beaten by Al Ain, representing the host nation, in the other semi-final 24 hours earlier.

Real will now face Al Ain in the final in Abu Dhabi on Saturday evening in the hunt for their seventh global title (three previous Intercontinental Cups, three previous FIFA Club World Cups).