Gareth Bale Hits Back At Comments Calling Him A 'Parasite'

Gareth Bale has it back at a Spanish journalists, calling them callous, after one report called him a 'parasite' who just 'sucks Euros' of Real Madrid.

In recent years, Bale's time in Spain has been an unhappy one, with manager's, pundits, journalists and fans all criticising the Welshman.

In a statement on Twitter, Bale hit back calling the comments callous and saying he'd seen the toll that the media can take of player's mental health.

"The Daily Mail shining a light on this piece of slanderous, derogatory and speculative journalism by Marca," the statement began after the Mail wrote a piece praising the Real forward.

"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 a 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, 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!"

Despite his troubles in recent years, the 32-year-old has scored 106 goals in 256 games for Los Blancos and won an incredible amount of titles.

He has scored goals in two of the Champions League finals, including an incredible overhead kick against Liverpool, and a brilliant solo goal against Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final.

Quite how he has ended up being treated the way he is by the Spanish media, despite that list of achievements, for the team they love, is quite incredible.