I don't have the figures, but I think it's safe to say that an unusually high number of Welsh television sets were tuned into Villareal versus Real Madrid on Saturday night.

Only the most dedicated or sadomasochistic supporters were watching the death throes of Wales's three-goal thrashing at the hands of Serbia when Chris Coleman finally deployed Gareth Bale.

So the Spanish league clash was most people's first glimpse of the world's most expensive footballer this season.

And they saw Bale deliver a bang for the big bucks paid for his services.

It was a sitter but he still had to show great speed and strength to surge ahead of his marker and meet Karim Benzema's cross.

Bale's transition from a skilful but slight wing-back to one of the world's most potent attackers is, in my view, down to his physical transformation.

His pace and power give him the edge over his contemporaries and, while some of that ability is natural, much will have been hard-earned.

So, tap-in or not, his debut goal was long in the making and greatly deserved.

The rest of his performance, as has been pointed out in the Spanish press, was mixed.

With Christiano Ronaldo unmovable from his favoured left-wing position, Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti started left-footed Bale on the right side and ordered them to swap at intervals.

It also appeared that he was told to get ahead of frontman Benzema whenever possible.

The latter instruction paid dividends on 38 minutes.

But Bale didn't look immediately comfortable with the rest of the complex role required of him.

That's understandable, not least because the 24-year-old and most of his team-mates are separated by a language barrier.

Most of that initial rustiness seems to have dissipated during Real's 6-1 away win over Galatasaray on Tuesday.

Ancelotti will have been particularly pleased to see Bale combining with Ronaldo for two of Madrid's haul.

While Welsh football fans will now be tuning into most Madrid games, many won't be able to take much pleasure from their success.

Wales has long held a strong affinity with Catalonia and the nation's footballing embodiment, Barcelona.

Welshmen packed the ranks of the International Brigades which fought General Franco's fascists during the Spanish civil war.

And, on the football field, Mark Hughes became the first Welshman to play in La Liga when he made his debut for Barcelona in 1986.

Bale is likely too focused on his football to pay any attention to the context surrounding his transfer.

I can live with that if he can go on to make history for Wales.

Perhaps he can even fire us to a European Championship finals clash with Catalonia.