Gareth Bale 'Doesn't Deserve' Santiago Bernabeu Whistles, Says Toni Kroos

Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos has hit out at sections of the Santiago Bernabeu crowd who jeered Gareth Bale during the team's UEFA Champions League clash with Apoel Nicosia FC on Wednesday. 

The Los Blancos No. 11 has struggled for his best form during the early stages of the 2017-18 season and was whistled when on the ball at times during the 3-0 victory. However, Kroos has called on Madridistas to stop their criticism and get behind Bale.

"This is Real Madrid and everybody always demands the best of each player," he said, per Football Espana. "Whistling your own player is sometimes what happens here, and Gareth doesn't deserve that, nobody deserves that."

Kroos added that it is "impossible" to operate at your best when being the target of the whistles and "people must realise this."

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As noted by Dermot Corrgian of ESPN FC, the Bernabeu crowd were quick to get on Bale's back despite him setting up two of Madrid's three goals on the night; he was also targeted when substituted late in the game:

While parts of the Madrid fanbase are seemingly unhappy with Bale's contributions at the moment, his team-mates all applauded his contribution in unison when the Welshman was withdrawn from the action, as noted by J.I. Garcia-Ochoa of Marca.

Indeed, Casemiro was another player who praised the former Tottenham Hotspur man and his desire to play himself into form. "You can see that he isn't experiencing his best run of form, but what I'll take away from this is the hard work he put in," said the Brazilian, per Marca.

Granted, Bale isn't performing at his absolute best at the moment, though you would expect a player so steeped in success since moving to the Bernabeu to be cut some slack by the supporters.

Four years on from his move from Tottenham Hotspur, the 28-year-old has accomplished plenty in the iconic all-white strip:

During the previous campaign, injuries hampered his performances, and the emergence of Marco Asensio and Isco left many wondering whether Bale was worth his place in the best XI of manager Zinedine Zidane.

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Still, it's nothing new for high-profile players to be whistled by the Madrid supporters. In 2015 Bale was the target of a disgruntled section of the fanbase, while earlier this year Cristiano Ronaldo was whistled by the Bernabeu in the Champions League clash with Bayern Munich; he went on to score a hat-trick in the game.

And that must be Bale's mindset as he seeks to win the supporters over again. Should he slip into the groove that has made him such an asset for Madrid down the years, the angst aimed his way will cease.