GARETH BALE is doing his part to help Real Madrid get over Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure.

Bale scored in Madrid’s Spanish league opener and set up the other goal in a 2-0 win over Getafe on Sunday.

Dani Carvajal also scored for Madrid, which for the first time in nearly a decade started its league campaign without Ronaldo, the club’s greatest goal-scorer. Bale scored in the 51st minute with a shot from inside the area after a well-placed cross by Marco Asensio.

Bale had already struck the crossbar with a 16th-minute header, and a few minutes later he provided the cross that led to Carvajal’s goal after Getafe goalkeeper David Soria failed to fully clear the ball.

Bale didn’t have many chances as a starter under coach Zinedine Zidane, but is likely to gain a bigger role as new manager Julen Lopetegui deals with Ronaldo’s absence and the lack of major signings by the club. (SD-Agencies)