Ex-Tottenham star Bale labelled ‘the Welsh parasite’ by Spanish press

Ahead of his Real Madrid exit, a newspaper in Spain have referred to ex-Tottenham player Gareth Bale as “the Welsh parasite”.

The 32-year-old has been with Real Madrid since 2013. They paid a then-world record fee of around £85m to sign him from Tottenham Hotspur.

He helped them win multiple Champions League titles but his relationship with the club has turned sour in recent years.

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Bale returned to Tottenham last season for a loan spell. He is set to leave Madrid permanently this summer as his contract expires in June.

The attacker will likely be involved as Wales face Austria in a World Cup play-off semi-final on Thursday night. 

Ahead of this game, Spanish outlet Marca have published an article on Bale’s relationship with Real Madrid. The headline for the piece is “the Welsh parasite”:

“The Bale parasite came from the cold and rainy Britannia,” Marca’s piece started.

“He settled in Spain, at Real Madrid, where, masked, he first showed diligence and love for the guest, but then his nature led him to suck blood without giving anything in return. Well, more than blood, he sucked, and sucks, the club’s euros.

“Unlike others of its kind, such as the flea, the louse or the bedbug, the Bale parasite does not cause itching or illnesses in its host, but after sucking, it laughs and makes fun of it, showing a jocular contempt for the one from whom he lives.

“He laughs, applauds, throws himself on the ground, sings, as a kind of humiliating ceremony, which, luckily, has an expiration date, like all misfortunes.”

Rivaldo would like to see Bale lining up for Newcastle United next season:

“It is now public knowledge that Gareth Bale will leave Real Madrid at the end of season when his contract finishes, after losing his place in the team during the last two seasons,” Rivaldo said.

“I definitely wouldn’t rule out a move to Newcastle as I think there is a chance they might convince him to return to the highest level as one of the stars of the team next season, in what will presumably become a very interesting squad.”