Real Madrid star Gareth Bale reveals how La Liga and the Premier League compare

Real Madrid star Gareth Bale thinks playing in Spain has helped to improve his game. The 26-year-old Welshman joined Los Blancos for around €100m (£76m, $111.1m) in 2013 and despite struggling to stay fit during his time in Spain, Bale thinks he is a better player for the experience.

Bale admitted the style of football in La Liga is markedly different from the Premier League, claiming tactics play a more prominent role. But Bale thinks he has successfully adapted his game over the last few years.

"The Premier League is end to end; here teams come and sit and you have to learn a different style," the former Tottenham Hotspur star said, according to The Guardian. "I feel like that first season everyone didn't know fully what I was about so I could do the same thing as in England. Then they knew what I was about and tried to nullify what I do well."

Bale, who excelled during his last season at Tottenham, revealed he was forced to re-evaluate his playing style because of the tactical approach in Spain.

"I found it more difficult but I'm so happy that season did happen because I learnt a lot: about keeping the ball, movement, intelligence, decision‑making," the ex-Tottenham hero confessed. "It's because of that bad season that I think I've had such a good season now. I've improved, I have more variety in my game."