GARETH BALE WAS abused by Real Madrid fans as he left the club’s Santiago Bernabeu stadium following their Champions League semi-final exit to Juventus last night.
Not for the first time this season, the Welsh attacker was whistled at during the match by fans frustrated with his performance. Bale missed several key chances for his side in the 1-1 draw, a result which saw Real crash out 3-2 on aggregate to the Serie A club.
Furious fans of the La Liga giants waited outside the stadium following the game. The former Tottenham man, who cost Real £86m in 2013 when he became the most expensive footballer in history, was booed and jeered as he emerged in his Audi Q7.
As Bale attempted to drive away, he was yelled at by several fans who used abusive terms in Spanish such as “cabron” and “hijo de puta”.
Earlier, Bale had defended his form and performance in the semi-final.
“There have been some ups and downs but personally I think I’ve played well,” he told Sky Sports. “I’ve maybe not scored as many important chances as I’d like but my general play has been good. My finishing is not as good and that’s something to work on for next year.
“What doesn’t kill me makes me stronger and I’ll learn from this season and take it on.”
Rumours have been circulating regarding Bale’s future at Real, despite scoring the Champions League-winning goal in last season’s final. There are similar uncertainties regarding the future of manager Carlo Ancelotti, but it remains to be seen what will become of Bale amid talk of a return to the Premier League this summer with Manchester United.