Tottenham winger Gareth Bale has revealed how Inter Milan fullback Douglas Maicon reacted to being beaten on Wednesday night.

Bale handed Maicon a bath in the 3-1 win.

Asked what Maicon was saying to him, Bale told the Daily Mail: "Sorry.

"He said it every time he kicked me."

And nothing else?

"No, that was pretty much it. He's a nice guy."

That may be so but it was extraordinarily gracious. Proof that a man widely regarded as the finest right back in the world is as classy a person as he is a player.

"But I think all the Brazilians are like that," said Bale. "They are just unbelievably nice people. Heurelho Gomes always says "Well done" to me after matches."