Gareth Bale will return to the starting line-up this Wednesday as Real Madrid open their Champions League campaign against PSG at the Parc de Princes. The Welshman was suspended for Saturday's LaLiga game at the Bernabéu, one in which Los Blancos showed both their good and bad sides, but Zinedine Zidane is expected to throw him into the Parisien cauldron.

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Bale for PSG test

The 30-year old winger, who started in the first three league games of this season (although only completed one of those) has notched up two goals and one assist across the 254 minutes played. Fully rested, he will begin in Paris, which is something he has not done in European competition since the first leg against Ajax in February. Bale's last goal in UEFA's premier competition came in the win over Roma on 27 November 2018, a stat he'll look to update against the familiar face of Keylor Navas.

With Zidane in the Bernabéu hotseat, Bale has participated in 21 Champions League matches (64% of the 33 potential fixtures), and 16 of those were as a starter. He only completed six (18%), but can point to the fact that is the third top scorer across that period with five goals.

It's still early in the season, but there are signs that, incredibly, Gareth Bale could be an invaluable member of Zidane's squad.