Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has defended Gareth Bale and described the forward as one of the La Liga club’s “greatest players”.
Speaking on Spanish radio, Perez said that any criticism aimed at Bale by frustrated fans was unfair and that the Madrid giants are very happy with the Welsh star, the Daily Mail reports.
Since signing from Tottenham in 2013, Bale has helped Real Madrid win one La Liga and three Champions League titles. Yet the 28-year-old has been the subject of taunts from the Bernabeu faithful on a number of occasions, including during his team’s 2-2 draw against Valencia last month.
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Perez claimed some of the booing may have been directed at himself.
“The problem at the moment is that getting at Bale has become a sport for some people, I don’t know if they are getting at Bale or at me,” said Perez.
“Bale is one of the greatest players that we have and we are very happy with him.
“He has won a lot of trophies and had a very important role in two Champions League finals and a Spanish Cup final. Last year he had injury problems and that was a big blow.”
After the draw against Valencia, Real defender Marcelo challenged Bale to silence the boo-boys by improving his game, as teammate Cristiano Ronaldo has done.
Marcelo told Goal.com: “Here everybody has been booed, the Bernabeu is how it is. When you get booed, you have to work to stop getting booed. They [the fans] have a right to boo and ask for improvement to the players and the coach.”
There has been speculation about the possibility of Bale making a return to the Premier League. Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho even joked with the player during a pre-season game that he was unable to sign him “because you won’t talk to me”.
Perez said no offers have come in for the Real Madrid star, but this could change.
“There have been no offers,” said Perez. “Mourinho said what he said in a light-hearted way. Right now none of our players are for sale. I don’t know what will happen in one year because nobody knows what will happen in one year.”
