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Real Madrid star Gareth Bale believes he is a better player now, having been on the end of fierce criticism for his poor displays last season. The Welshman scored 13 La Liga goals but failed to replicate his form from his first term in the Spanish capital, when he played a pivotal role in helping them to win both the Copa del Rey and Champions League.Bale has bounced back with 15 goals in 18 league appearances despite an injury-disrupted campaign, but his presence has been missed as Madrid have slipped 10 points behind La Liga leaders Barcelona ahead of their crunch trip to the Nou Camp on Saturday, live on Sky Sports 2 HD from 7pm. Bale has scored 15 goals in 18 league appearances so this season Last season I didnt play to anywhere near to my potential, Bale said. It was important for me to keep working hard, to keep fighting. It is difficult playing in a foreign country.Ive felt more settled, more involved in the team this year and I think that has shown in performances on the pitch. Its good to have a bad season, you really do learn a lot about yourself and I feel this season I took (what happened) last season on board.I understand the game a lot more over here and hopefully there is a lot still more to come in the future.Watch Real Madrid in action against Barcelona, live from 7pm on Sky Sports 2 HD, this Saturday nightBy purchasing a Sky Sports Day Pass for £6.99 or Sky Sports Week Pass for £10.99, you can enjoy access to all seven Sky Sports channels and watch on a TV with a NOW TV Box or on a range of devices. Also See: Messi v Ronaldo Bale: Real can still win title Clasico: The key issues WATCH: Classic El Clasicos Cheap Asics Shoes Online .Y. -- Sabres forward Drew Stafford has witnessed plenty of turmoil during his eight seasons in Buffalo. Asics Uk Outlet . Shot outdoors against the stunning backdrop of Banff, Alta., the networks 30-minute original production airs tonight at 8pm et/5pm pt on TSN2. The four All-Star teams will play for $100,000 in prize money during TSNs annual skins game, airing live this weekend on TSN from The Fenlands Banff Recreation Centre. http://www.cheapasicsuk.com/ . 24 Baylor in a Big 12 clash between teams trending in opposite directions. Andrew Wiggins made 10-of-12 from the foul line and scored 17 for Kansas (14-4, 5-0 Big 12), which capped a stretch of four straight games against ranked opponents unscathed. Asics Wholesale Uk . Speaking to the Chicago Tribune at baseballs Winter Meetings in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, Boras called the former home of the Expos a "tremendous environment" for baseball. Asics Shoes Uk Cheap . "Jeff is a hard worker who was an important special-teams contributor for us last season," said Stamps GM John Hufnagel. LOS ANGELES -- Tyler Chatwood left with the lead on the road where hes been dominant. The Rockies bullpen couldnt hold on.Yasmani Grandal homered twice, including a grand slam in the seventh inning, to rally the Los Angeles Dodgers past Colorado 7-4 on Thursday night, the Rockies 80th loss of the season. Theyve dropped three of four.Chatwood has gone 7-1 on the road with a 1.88 ERA in 12 starts. Hes been even better at Dodger Stadium, where he has a 1.62 ERA in six career starts. The right-hander staked the Rockies to a 4-2 lead before leaving after six innings.My curveball and two-seamer were working well, Chatwood said. I felt good and strong, and overall I felt like I had it in me.The Rockies bullpen sure didnt.Jordan Lyles gave up a ground-rule, pinch-hit double to Andre Ethier to open the seventh. Boone Logan (2-4) took over and loaded the bases on two consecutive one-out walks. He then walked Adrian Gonzalez, forcing in a run and leaving the Dodgers trailing 4-3.Grandal followed with his second career grand slam, sending a 2-2 pitch into center field and giving the Dodgers their first lead of the game, 7-4.Logan gave up four runs and one hit in one inning, walked three and struck out none.I was walking guys and I wasnt getting my first pitch in for a strike, Logan said. When you do that its tough and then I gave up that big hit. I took my licking, but we play every day and well be back tomorrow.Colorado manager Walt Weiss and third baseman Nolan Arenado were ejected in the seventh for arguing after Carlos Gonzalez lined into an unassisted double play at first, who doubled off DJ LeMahieu to end the inning.I was down 0-2 and I battled back to 3-2 and then he called me out, Arenado said of home plate umpire Alfonso Marquez. If I get on, then Carlos is up and he can hit it a long way and we have a chance to tie it up. I went back and looked at the video and it was up. It should have been ball four. We had a chance and it hurts to lose.The Rockies took an early 2-0 lead on an error by right fielder Josh Reddick and Daniel Descalsos sacrifice fly.LeMahieu extended his consecutive on-base streak to 38 games with a homer in the fifth, extending Colorados lead to 4-1.The victory reduced the Dodgers magic number for clinching their record fourth consecutive NL West title to four. Their division lead remained at six games after San Francisco beat San Diiego 2-1.dddddddddddd.Luis Avilan (3-0) got the win in relief, pitching a scoreless seventh with one strikeout.Kenley Jansen retired the side in the ninth for his 46th save in 52 chances.Grandal hit a solo shot in the second for the sixth homer given up by Chatwood in his last four games.Making his first start since Aug. 20, Brett Anderson gave up four runs and six hits in five innings. The left-hander struck out two and walked one after coming off the disabled list with a blister on his left index finger.TRAINERS ROOMRockies: 1B Gerardo Parra was scratched an hour before the game because of illness and was replaced by Stephen Cardullo. ... 3B coach Stu Cole, hit by a ball during batting practice on Tuesday and taken to a Denver hospital, was back on the field Friday.WHAT A PLAYChase Utley made an amazing play on Chatwoods groundout to second base in the fourth. Utley went to field the ball and it escaped his glove as he spun around. Utley somehow grabbed the ball and flipped it with his right hand and his back turned toward first base, where Adrian Gonzalez was fully stretched to make the play that ended the inning.VISITING VINIt was Weiss turn to visit Vin Scully. The team presented the 88-year-old Hall of Fame broadcaster with the letters `LAD from the Rockies scoreboard.His intellect and recall of the game is amazing, Weiss said. I didnt even think he would know who I was, but he knew everybody, even the guys who werent in jersey.Weiss played shortstop for Oakland against the Dodgers in the 1988 World Series. He told Scully he still has nightmares when he hears the call from Game 1 in which hobbled Dodgers pinch-hitter Kirk Gibson slugged the winning home run.Vin told me Gibsons home run was the most theatrical, Weiss said, and that (Hank) Aarons home run was the biggest moment of his career.UP NEXTRockies: RHP Jon Gray (10-8, 4.42 ERA) is coming off a franchise-record 16 strikeouts in his first career complete-game shutout, an 8-0 win over San Diego. He is 2-2 with a 3.38 ERA in five career starts against the Dodgers.Dodgers: LHP Scott Kazmir (10-6, 4.59) starts for the first time since Aug. 22 after missing 28 games on the disabled list with neck inflammation. He is 4-6 with a 4.11 ERA in 13 home starts this season. ' ' '