Bale Hits Back At Spanish Media Over Incessant Criticism
Gareth Bale has hit back at the Spanish media over criticism of his commitment to Real Madrid.
Bale has made just five appearances for Los Blancos this season and reportedly made himself unavailable for last weekend's 4-0 El Clasico defeat to Barcelona.
Bale was back in action just four days later for his national team, scoring a brace as Wales defeated Austria 2-1 in the FIFA World Cup play-off semi-finals.
That performance prompted criticism from Spanish publication Marca, who labelled Bale a 'parasite' for sucking money out of Real Madrid.
The 32-year-old has responded to those allegations with a swift rebuttal on social media.
"The Daily Mail shining a light on this piece of slanderous, derogatory and speculative journalism by Marca," Bale wrote on Twitter.
"At a time where people are taking their own lives because of the callousness and relentlessness of the media, I want to know, who is holding these journalists and the news outlets that allow them to write articles like this, accountable?
"Fortunately I have developed thick skin during my time in the public spotlight, but that doesn't mean articles like these don't cause damage and upset personally and professionally to those at the receiving end of these malicious stories.
"I have witnessed the toll the media can take on people's mental and physical health."
"The media expect superhuman performances from professional athletes, and will be the first to celebrate with them when they deliver," he continued.
"Yet instead of commiserating with them when they show an ounce of human error, they are torn to shreds instead, encouraging anger and disappointment in their fans.
"The everyday pressures on athletes is immense, and it's as clear as day how negative media attention could easily send an already stressed athlete, or anybody in the public eye, over the edge.
"I hope that by the time our children are of an age where they are able to ingest news, that journalism ethics and standards will have been enforced more stringently.
"So I want to use my platform to encourage change in the way we publicly talk about, and criticise people, simply for the most part, not meeting the often unrealistic expectations that are projected onto them.
"We all know who the real Parasite is!"
Bale has won four Champions League titles, two La Liga trophies among other honours since joining Real Madrid from Tottenham Hotspurs in the summer of 2013.
