When my mate, Sepehr, asked me if I could write about my thoughts on whether Bale can finally deliver the Champions League to Real Madrid after 11 barren campaigns, I was more than happy to oblige, and with the best club competition returning this week, it seemed a rather fitting time to consider their chances.
Madrid have been crying out for 'La Decima' ever since their most recent triumph almost twelve years ago, and some may be starting to dream that with the two most expensive players in history on board, their dreams may start to become reality.
So with the Champions League kicking off tomorrow evening, I've been looking at if Real have what it takes to finally deliver their tenth European crown, or whether arch-rivals Barcelona or reigning champions Bayern Munich are still the ones to beat.
Lest we forget, of course, the Champions League is made up of 32 teams, and especially in recent years, has proved to be a very open race indeed with Chelsea's miraculous victory and Dortmund's inspiring run to last May's Wembley finale seeming very off-the-cards at the start of those competitions. May we have another surprise package or two this year?
All the English clubs have to be considered (although Arsenal's Group F-ear could see a contender dropping out early) as do last year's runners-up, Dortmund (also in the same group), who beat Real twice on their way to the final last season. And just like Malaga last year, there'll likely be an unfancied minnow to go further than they should. Their rivals Real Sociedad could well be that team.
However, it is only natural to look towards the strongest clubs. Real have gone close in two successive campaigns under Jose Mourinho and will be hoping that four-time champion Carlo Ancelotti at the helm will provide them with the drive to go further this time around. Barcelona have started the season in scintillating form (despite scraping a win at the weekend), and although Bayern Munich have been only just short of perfect under Pep Guardiola, they have the strongest squad on paper.
You expect the best teams to at least reach the quarter-finals where the path to greatness is pure luck, and when it inevitably comes to those crunch games, more often than not (i.e. unlike last year), they really can go either way. No-one at that stage, however big their opponent is, will take each-other lightly. It's needless to say you wouldn't put anything past Barca, Bayern or Real to deliver in the latter stages.
Arguably, Real Madrid have hardly been better equipped to challenge for the big prize. They really should have beaten Bayern in 2012, but as a unit, they are stronger now. A team of Ronaldo, Benzema, Di Maria and Isco is enough to get anyone quaking in their boots. They possess one of the best forward and midfield combinations in world football by a mile, and Bale's arrival in the team surely gives them their best chance in over a decade to get this monkey off their back (buh-dum tss).
The only lingering doubt in my mind about Real's chances is how much Ozil's departure will hurt them. Arsenal had no right to go in for a player like him and it is quite astonishing that of all the players that they could have let go, they chose him. It may be that Ozil was not going to fit into Ancelotti's plans and we will never know that for sure, but that is the only logical and justifiable reason to release him.
As for Gareth Bale himself, I don't think being the most expensive player ever will faze him, but settling into a new culture may hamper his progress a little - not that he showed any evidence of that on Saturday night. He's experiencing something right now which is nowhere near what he's been used to - the squads at Sp*rs and Wales put together and doubled aren't anywhere near the quality of Madrid's.
But even if this season doesn't turn out to go to plan for Bale and co. at the Bernabeu, the foundations are there for Madrid to build something very, very scary.
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