Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale has joked that it felt good to be applauded off the pitch by the club’s fans rather than whistled.
The Welshman – who has often been the target of fan frustration at Los Blancos – netted twice in Sunday’s 7-1 victory at home to Deportivo La Coruna.
“It’s nice to hear that instead of whistles,” Bale is quoted as saying by ESPN.
“It would have been nice to have stayed on to get the hat trick, but the most important thing is always to get the victory and to try and get some confidence back in the team.
“I think I can be important but at the end of the day you have to prove it," he said. "I feel like I have been doing that of late. And I have been working hard to stay fit.
“I have to keep playing the best I can. I'm almost there I think. It's been a while since my ankle operation and I felt 100 percent.
“It's only been very recently that I have been without pain in my ankle, so I am getting there game by game. I keep working game by game and hopefully I'll be there very soon.”
