Gareth Bale’s agent has suggested Real Madrid supporters should be “ashamed of themselves” for jeering the Wales international in Saturday’s El Clasico loss to Barcelona.
With Madrid suffering a third consecutive home defeat for the first time in 15 years, large sections of the Bernabeu crowd booed Bale as he was replaced in the 1-0 reverse.
The loss leaves Santiago Solari’s side 12 points adrift of their bitter rivals, who sit top of LaLiga as they aim for a fifth title in the last six years.
Former Tottenham winger Bale has had success in Spain since leaving for Madrid in 2013 – winning the Champions League on four occasions and scoring in two finals, including twice in last season’s victory over Liverpool.
It is for moments such as those that Bale’s agent, Jonathan Barnett, feels the player should be shown the “greatest of respect” by Madrid fans.
“This generation of Real fans will be talking about Gareth’s goals for years to come,” Barnett told Sky Sports News.
“Frankly they should be ashamed of themselves. Gareth deserves the greatest of respect.
“The way the Real fans have treated Gareth is nothing short of a disgrace. In the six years he has been in Spain, he has won everything.
“He is one of the best players in the world. Those fans should be kissing his feet.”
The 29-year-old has had added pressure this season following the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo to Juventus.
There have been suggestions he is still unsettled in Spain and is cut-off from his team-mates, a view not helped by the fact he refused to celebrate his winning goal against Levante recently.
But Barnett rubbished such reports and insists Bale is intending to stay beyond the summer and not look for a move away.
“Despite what the Spanish press are reporting, he’s happy,” added Barnett.
“He speaks reasonable Spanish and there is no problem between him and the rest of the Real players. The people writing these things know nothing about him.
“There has not been one single discussion about Gareth leaving Madrid. He isn’t going anywhere this summer.”
Bale’s team-mate Luka Modric said the Welshman’s achievements in Madrid should not be forgotten, even if he was “not in his best form”.
“Bale is fine,” he said at a press conference ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League clash with Ajax.
“He looks good to me, but what I can say about every player is that at stages of their career they don’t feel great and that happens to everyone. It’s happened to me in the past. He looks happy to me and with the desire to do well.
“We all know him and we can’t forget what he’s done for this team. It seems that people forget everything very easily and you can’t forget what he’s done, even if he’s not in his best in form at the minute.
“He works hard, he’s got the desire and he wants to return to the usual Bale and help the team for the rest of the season. He’s got a lot to give to this team, and that’s what he’s going to do and what he has to do is work hard. There is no other option.”
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