‘Is this what you mean by combining with my team-mates boss?’ Gareth Bale gave the perfect response to manager Carlo Ancelotti at the Bernabeu, scoring two and making two in a 10-goal thriller.

Ancelotti criticised Bale’s team play after the Clasico but he gave his best performance so far in a Real Madrid shirt and played his first 90 minutes.

His combination play was the feature of a raucous first half in which Madrid raced to a three-goal lead, only to then concede twice just before half-time.

‘Tonight everyone saw the real Gareth Bale playing with confidence and great skill,’ said Ancelotti afterwards. ‘He played really well, showing fantastic skills. It takes time (to adapt) but it was a necessity. Now he doesn’t have problems physically and he is improving his confidence, so he will be very important for us in the future.’

Bale scored his first home goal on 13 minutes cutting in from the right and hammering Karim Benzema’s low cross into the top corner.

Ten minutes later, he doubled his tally with a free-kick that hit beleaguered full back Alberto Moreno’s hand and deflected past Sevilla goalkeeper Beto. Moreno couldn’t handle Bale and Sevilla could not handle Madrid.

In the 31st minute, Fernando Navarro brought down Isco and Ronaldo scored from the spot. Real relaxed towards the end of the first half and Sevilla pulled two goals back, with Rakitic scoring on 38 minutes from the spot after Vitolo was fouled and Bacca adding a second five minutes before the break.

But nothing could take the shine off an outstanding first half from Bale. Sevilla started the second half as they finished the first and if Diego Lopez had not saved from Jairo the game may have taken a different turn.

But after Jairo saw his shot saved at point-blank range by the Madrid keeper, the home side went down the other end and scored.

Ronaldo played in Bale and he crossed for Benzema, who slotted the ball into the bottom corner. Bale then glided past Moreno and crossed for Ronaldo to score Madrid’s fifth on the hour.

The 60-minute mark has often been time for Bale’s number to come up this season, but there was no chance of Ancelotti denying him the opportunity to play his first full match.

And he almost won a penalty when Moreno gave him a nudge in the back inside the area and he tumbled over Fernando Navarro’s outstretched leg. Rakitic pulled another goal back for Sevilla on 63 minutes as they refused to surrender.

Xabi Alonso came on shortly after to add some much needed calm and get his first minutes on the pitch after a five-month injury lay-off.

Ronaldo scored a deflected sixth goal in the 71st minute and then conceded a harsh penalty for a challenge on Diogo Figueiras, but Rakitic blasted the penalty over.

‘It was a crazy game. We started well then we lost control but we scored lots of goals and there were lots of excellent performances especially from the three forwards. ‘We played much faster we were more vertical. Bale, Ronaldo and Benzema all combined very well,’ said Ancelotti.

There was huge applause for another lung-busting run from Bale in the 77th minute and two minutes later Benzema headed in a Marcelo cross for goal No 10 of the night.

Ronaldo had become only the second player in history to score a hat-trick against the same side for four consecutive seasons. Alfredo Di Stefano had previously done it against Las Palmas.

He also found time for a celebratory salute — his response to Sepp Blatter calling him the ‘Comandante’.

But for Bale, it seems six weeks after his presentation he has finally arrived.

— Daily Mail