Gareth Bale's Agent Says 'Rubbish' Criticism Does Not Bother Real Madrid Star

Gareth Bale's agent has said recent criticism is not bothering the Real Madrid forward.

Bale netted the winning goal in a 2-1 victory over Levante on Sunday, although he appeared unwilling to celebrate with his team-mates after scoring his penalty.

That action has prompted criticism from some sections of the media in Spain. Per Dermot Corrigan of ESPN FC, Bale's agent, Jonathan Barnett, said the player is not fussed by some of the harsh words that have come his way.

"As always, Gareth is OK," he said. "This rubbish does not bother him." Barnett added Bale has "no problem" with any of his team-mates, despite speculation he was unhappy at being referred to as "the golfer" by some in the dressing room.

Following what was a seeming snub to his team-mates on Sunday, a report in AS (h/t Corrigan) said Bale had a "deplorable attitude."

Corrigan has his own say on how he thinks the press have reacted to Bale:

When manager Santiago Solari was asked about the player on the eve of the team's Copa del Rey showdown with Barcelona on Wednesday, he was giving little away:

Despite the remarkable success he has enjoyed at the Santiago Bernabeu—the Welshman has been part of four UEFA Champions League wins, scoring three goals in four finals—the Madridistas have never quite taken to Bale.

In the past, there have been jeers around the Bernabeu when Bale has played poorly, with the patience that's afforded to other star names seemingly not there for him.

Unsurprisingly, the manner of his celebration on Sunday has triggered some angst. Per The Spanish Football Podcast, it's been suggested that Bale isn't totally focused on the job at hand at Madrid:

Andy West of BBC Sport said he thinks Bale could possibly do more to make himself a popular figure with supporters:

Of course, the reaction may have also been born from frustration, as Bale was left on the bench for the third La Liga game in a row. However, he has emerged from the bench to score in two of those matches.

While Bale has shown what he can do on countless occasions in the Los Blancos jersey, his form this season has been inconsistent. In addition, the former Tottenham Hotspur man has regularly dealt with injuries at Madrid, and perhaps it's no surprise Solari has decided to put together a blueprint that doesn't contain him as a key man.

With Real Madrid set to face Barcelona twice in the space of four days this week, he has the perfect opportunity to win over some doubters again.