Gareth Bale was confronted by angry Real Madrid fans on Sunday night while his car was also attacked in another unsavoury incident for the world's most expensive footballer.
Bale, the pounds 86?million signing, returned to Madrid's training base after the 2-1 defeat by Barcelona and was jeered by supporters before driving off in his white Bentley, which was kicked by one irate fan.
The Wales international's club team-mates Jese Rodriguez and Sergio Ramos were also reportedly targeted by fans who had waited to vent their frustrations after El Clasico at the Nou Camp. But this uncomfortable moment is just the latest for Bale, who has been hounded by fans and Spanish media in recent weeks after what is perceived as a poor run of form.
Bale was unfortunate not to score in the first half but his goal was ruled out because Cristiano Ronaldo was offside. However the knives are out for the Welshman in two leading Spanish newspapers.
AS refused to even give Bale a mark out of 10 while Marca claimed "it's obvious that [president Florentino] Perez has paid euros 100?million for someone worth euros 20?million".
After scoring both goals in the 2-0 win against Levante this month Bale cupped his ears in what seemed to be a response to his detractors.
However, Bale's agent, Jonathan Barnett, insisted last night that the 25?year-old was perfectly settled in Madrid and was not even contemplating leaving.
He said: "I spoke to Gareth a few times on Monday and he never even mentioned it [the incident at the Madrid training base]. He's perfectly happy and having a wonderful time there. I've never known so much rubbish and untruths being written about one person. There is stuff being created that doesn't exist."
Bale will now escape the cauldron of Madrid as he links up with Wales for their European Cham-pionship qualifier with Israel at the weekend.
However, Iwan Roberts, the former Wales international, believes that he should return to the Premier League if he continues to receive criticism from sections of the Madrid support.
Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester City would inevitably be interested in the former Tottenham Hotspur attacker if he were to become available.
Roberts claimed that Bale could come back if his time in Spain remains plagued by crowd abuse.
"It can't be nice for him. He is still a young lad and if he is still getting the stick he has been getting over the last four or five months now, come to somewhere people appreciate you," he said. "Come to somewhere where the fans realise how hard you work for the side and the quality you bring to a side.
"I think if he keeps getting treated the way he is by some of the sup-porters and the media over there, he will want to prove a lot of people wrong. He has got a strong mentality and only time will tell but he doesn't deserve the treatment he has been getting.
"He had a great first season last year - he scored the second goal in the Champions League final, scored a great goal in the Spanish Cup yet they have not really taken to him and I'm not sure why. I do think he gets harshly treated in the Bernabeu - maybe it will take for Gareth to move away [for that to stop]."
Real Madrid's defeat against Barcelona left them four points adrift of their arch enemies in La Liga with 10 games to play.