Gareth Bale comes to Zinedine Zidane's rescue as Real Madrid draw at Villarreal - in pictures

Welsh forward was on the verge of leaving in the summer, but scored twice before being sent off in the 2-2 draw

Villarreal's Spanish defender Mario Gaspar (L) challenges Real Madrid's Welsh forward Gareth Bale during the Spanish league football match Villarreal CF against Real Madrid CF at La Ceramica stadium in Vila-real. AFP

Casemiro of Real Madrid is shown a yellow card from referee, Jesus Gil Manzano during the Liga match between Villarreal CF and Real Madrid CF at Estadio de la Ceramican Villareal, Spain. Getty Images

Villareal's Mario Gaspar vies for the ball with Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Villarreal and Real Madrid in the Ceramica stadium in Villarreal, Spain. ap

Gareth Bale of Real Madrid celebrates after scoring his sides second goal during the Liga match between Villarreal CF and Real Madrid CF at Estadio de la Ceramica. Getty Images

Villareal's Gerard Moreno controls the ball past Real Madrid's Luka Modric during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Villarreal and Real Madrid in the Ceramica stadium in Villarreal, Spain. Ap

Gareth Bale of Real Madrid leaves the pitch after being shown a red card during the Liga match between Villarreal CF and Real Madrid CF at Estadio de la Ceramica. Getty Images

Real Madrid's Gareth Bale, vies withe Villareal's Xavi Quintilla during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Villarreal and Real Madrid in the Ceramica stadium in Villarreal, Spain. AP

Real Madrid's Sergio Ramos, left, vies for the ball with Villareal's Santi Cazorla during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Villarreal and Real Madrid in the Ceramica stadium in Villarreal, Spain. AP

Gareth Bale of Real Madrid celebrates with team mates after scoring his sides first goal during the Liga match between Villarreal CF and Real Madrid CF at Estadio de la Ceramica, Villareal, Spain. Getty Images

Gareth Bale of Real Madrid celebrates after scoring his sides first goal during the Liga match between Villarreal CF and Real Madrid CF at Estadio de la Ceramica, Villareal, Spain. Getty Images

Casemiro of Real Madrid is tackled by Moi Gomez of Villarreal during the Liga match between Villarreal CF and Real Madrid CF at Estadio de la Ceramica, Villareal, Spain. Getty Images

Gerard Moreno of Villarreal scores his sides first goal during the Liga match between Villarreal CF and Real Madrid CF at Estadio de la Ceramica on in Villareal, Spain. AP

Real Madrid's Gareth Bale, right, controls the ball past Villareal's Mario Gaspar during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Villarreal and Real Madrid in the Ceramica stadium in Villarreal, Spain. AP

Real Madrid's Gareth Bale (L) in action against Villarreal's Moi Gomez (R) during a Spanish LaLiga soccer match between Villarreal and Real Madrid at the Ceramica stadium in Villarreal, eastern Spain. EPA

Real Madrid´s Gareth Bale (R) celebrates with Sergio Ramos (L) after scoring against Villarreal during a Spanish LaLiga soccer match between Villarreal and Real Madrid at the Ceramica stadium in Villarreal, eastern Spain. EPA

Gareth Bale of Real Madrid celebrates after scoring his sides second goal during the Liga match between Villarreal CF and Real Madrid CF at Estadio de la Ceramica on September. Getty Images

Soccer Football - La Liga Santander - Villarreal v Real Madrid - Estadio de la Ceramica, Villarreal, Spain, Real Madrid's Gareth Bale scores their second goal. Reuters

Real Madrid's Welsh forward Gareth Bale (2L) scores a goal during the Spanish league football match Villarreal CF against Real Madrid CF at La Ceramica stadium in Vila-real. AFP

Real Madrid's French coach Zinedine Zidane (C) reacts during the Spanish league football match Villarreal CF against Real Madrid CF at La Ceramica stadium in Vila-real. AFP

Soccer Football - La Liga Santander - Villarreal v Real Madrid - Estadio de la Ceramica, Villarreal, Spain - Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane with susbtitute Vinicius Junior. Reuters

Villarreal's Vicente Iborra (2-R) in action against Real Madrid's Sergio Ramos (3-R) during a Spanish LaLiga soccer match between Villarreal and Real Madrid at the Ceramica stadium in Villarreal, eastern Spain. EPA

Villarreal's Raul Albiol (R) in action against Real Madrid's Gareth Bale (L) during a Spanish LaLiga soccer match between Villarreal and Real Madrid at the Ceramica stadium in Villarreal, eastern Spain. EPA

Soccer Football - La Liga Santander - Villarreal v Real Madrid - Estadio de la Ceramica, Villarreal, Spain - Real Madrid's Gareth Bale scores their first goal. Reuters

Real Madrid's Gareth Bale (R) reacts during a Spanish LaLiga soccer match between Villarreal and Real Madrid at the Ceramica stadium in Villarreal, eastern Spain. EPA

Zinedine Zidane said he was pleased with Gareth Bale's contribution after the Welsh forward scored twice before getting sent off in a 2-2 draw with Villarreal on Sunday.

Bale's start to the season - he also starred in Madrid's 3-1 win at Celta Vigo in their first La Liga game of the campaign - has given Zidane a timely reminder of his abilities after the Frenchman spent much of the summer trying to offload 30-year-old.

Villarreal took the lead through Gerard Moreno in the 12th minute and then Moi Gomez 16 minutes from the end but each time Bale pegged them back, first on the stroke of half-time and then four minutes from the end.

Two yellow cards in as many minutes then saw Bale dramatically sent off in the 94th minute but by then his match-saving contribution was complete.

"I am pleased with his goals, of course, and now we have to think about a rest," Zidane said. "Although he won't rest as he's going away with his national team."

It was six years to the day that Real Madrid paid €100 million (Dh404m) to sign Bale, who now has 104 goals for the club, as many as the Brazilian Ronaldo.

But his heroics could not save Madrid from another slip, which means they head into the international break five points behind early front-runners Atletico Madrid, who had earlier beaten Eibar 3-2.

"We have to improve defensively," Zidane said. "We know we can create chances. The positive is the reaction we showed because it is important not to lose."

Asked what was lacking, Casemiro said: "We lacked everything."

After drawing at home to Real Valladolid though, this was not the result Zidane would have wanted, particularly given he threw two new signings into his starting line-up.

Luka Jovic and Ferland Mendy both started, with Bale on the left of midfield in a 4-4-2, a sign of Zidane's renewed faith in the 30-year-old's defensive capabilities.

Zidane has now won only six of the 14 matches since he returned as coach in March and it remains to be seen if the club make any late additions on the final day of the transfer window on Monday.

Sergio Ramos was at fault for the first goal, robbed on the halfway line by Moreno, who drove forward and slipped in Karl Toko Ekambi. Ekambi's shot was parried by Thibaut Courtois but only back into the path of Moreno, who picked his spot.

Madrid dominated the rest of the half as Casemiro headed wide, Lucas Vazquez lashed into the side-netting and Karim Benzema's long-range effort hit the post.

They did score in the 46th minute with a brilliant goal, Jovic flicking Casemiro's pass into Dani Carvajal, who crossed first time for Bale to tap in.

Madrid pushed for a second after the restart as Bale and Toni Kroos went close and Benzema had the ball in the net but was correctly called offside.

Instead, Villarreal landed a sucker-punch on the break as Mario Gaspar's cross was cleared only to Santi Cazorla. His shot was saved by Courtois but Javi Ontiveros fired in again and Moi Gomez was perfectly placed.

Villarreal tried to hang on but tension set in and Bale equalised with four minutes left, cutting inside from the right and dragging a shot back inside the near post.

He might have fancied a hat-trick in injury time but instead picked up two yellow cards, the second for a late challenge on Ontiveros.