Chris Waddle urges Gareth Bale to get his confidence back and prove his quality

Former Tottenham Hotspur player Chris Waddle believes that Gareth Bale needs to prove "how good he is" to his Real Madrid teammates following a recent slump in form.

A number of Madrid supporters have not warmed to the Wales international as some believe that he has not shown that he is worth the world-record £85m fee that the club paid for him.

In Tuesday night's 2-1 defeat to Juventus in the Champions League, Bale was heavily criticised for his lack of impact, but Waddle is hopeful that the ex-Tottenham star can overcome his problems.

"He has not won over the fans, he is struggling a bit with injuries and as a result is lacking in confidence," Waddle said in an interview with The Express. "But he has to stick his chest out, tell his teammates to pass to him and show them how good he is."

Bale has already been linked with a return to the Premier League ahead of the summer transfer window.