Bale says La Liga title is Real's top target this season

[September 08, 2016]  By Richard Martin

BARCELONA (Reuters) - Gareth Bale said Real Madrid are determined to wrest back the Spanish league title from Barcelona this season after going four years without tasting La Liga success.

Bale has won the Champions League twice and the King's Cup since joining the Bernabeu club in 2013, but the league title has proved elusive.

Real missed out on the league to Barcelona on the final day of last season by a point and have not won the title since 2012, when they collected a record 100 points under Jose Mourinho.

Real have won their opening two league games this season, with Bale scoring twice in their 3-0 win at Real Sociedad. They continue their campaign following the international break at home to Osasuna on Saturday.

"It's important we win the league this year because it's been a long time since we last won it," Bale said on Wednesday at an event organized by Adidas.

"That's our focus this year although we want to win every trophy, including La Liga. I'm excited about our game with Osasuna, they will make things difficult for us but it'll be fantastic because we'll have our full team available."

Real boast more La Liga triumphs than any other team in Spain with 32 titles but arch rivals Barcelona have claimed six of the last eight, while neighbors Atletico Madrid have won the league more recently than Real, lifting the trophy in 2014.

"In Madrid we dream about winning everything and when we enter any competition we want to win it, the cup, the league, the Champions League, we want them all," added Bale.

Wales' Gareth Bale celebrates scoring their fourth goal from the penalty spot. Wales v Moldova - 2018 World Cup Qualifying European Zone - Group D - Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff, Wales - 5/9/16. Action Images via Reuters / John Sibley Livepic

On the international front, Bale built on the rich vein of form he showed for Wales at Euro 2016 by scoring twice in a 4-0 win over Moldova on Monday, moving within four goals of equaling their all-time top scorer Ian Rush's record of 28 strikes.

"People have told me that I haven't got long to beat Rush's record but that's not important, I just want to perform well so we can qualify for major tournaments," said Bale.

"If we keep doing well, I'll be able to keep scoring goals and beat the record."

(Reporting by Richard Martin; Editing by Toby Davis)

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