Real Madrid: Gareth Bale vows to stay at Bernabeu 'for many years'

Gareth Bale has said he has no intentions of leaving Real Madrid in the near future ahead of the club's Champions League final showdown with Atletico in Milan.

The Welshman also said Real will have to "play as a team" to beat their city rivals and lift a record 11th European Cup in Milan on 28 May.

Real have not beaten Atletico in their last six head-to-head meetings in La Liga but prevailed 1-0 on aggregate against their city rivals in last season's Champions League quarter-finals.

The 10-time European champions were beaten 1-0 by their city rivals at the Santiago Bernabeu in their most recent league encounter in February, with the reverse fixture ending in a 1-1 draw.

Bale praised Zinedine Zidane's impact on Real since taking over as manager at the club in January, saying that the Frenchman allowed his players to play with "more joy" and "more freedom".

"And that's the spirit we need to have in the final, with the idea that we have to run a lot and play as a team," he told Marca.

"Atletico are very difficult opponents – a team that defends well and is physically very strong," the former Tottenham player continued.

"But we've beat them in the final before [in 2014] and we can do it again. To do this we know we must play 100 percent to our potential."

'Happy in Spain'

Bale also poured cold water on speculation linking him with a return to the Premier League to either Manchester United or City, saying that he was "very happy" in Spain.

"I feel more integrated, I have more personal relationships with my teammates and that always gives you more happiness and that reflects on my game," he was quoted as saying by Sky Sports.

"I'm enjoying myself a lot in Madrid and I hope this continues for many years.

"I want to be better each season and win many titles along the way."