Gareth Bale has never reached the heights of his first Real Madrid season in recent years.

After moving to the Bernabeu for a world record fee in 2013, the Welshman hit the ground running in Spanish football. Bale scored the winning goal in the Copa del Rey final and Champions League climax to scoop La Decima in his debut campaign.

And while the 28-year-old hasn't exactly fallen off since then, it's perhaps damning that his finest two moment in the famous white jersey came four years ago.

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He is yet to match his goal scoring shift of 2013-14 either and dropped to a new low of nine last campaign with injury starving him of game time. Bale hasn't been afforded a run in the team long enough to recover his match form.

As a result, it perhaps wasn't surprising that the Welshman was linked so frequently with a move away this summer with a Manchester United switch mooted.

Real Madrid fans aren't the most forgiving group of supporters and Bale's mediocre form has seen him an easy target for the Bernabeu faithful.

It's worth noting that even Cristiano Ronaldo has been heckled during his time in Spain but his fellow forward is the new subject of whistling.

It hasn't been limited to the stands, though, and Bale received a somewhat questionable reception at a marketing event on Friday.

Along with the customary round of whistles, according to AS, there were also shouts of 'habla español!' or - in English - 'speak Spanish!'

In plying his trade in Spain for so long, you'd like to think Bale has picked up his fair share of Spanish but perhaps not enough to tame an interview at a public showing. 

Players such as Sergio Aguero have come in for similar criticism in the past with the Manchester City man still opting for his native tongue as opposed to the vernacular. Nevertheless, said critique hasn't split over to public heckling.

Real Madrid fans can turn for the better as quickly as they can turn for the worse, though, so Bale is just a run of goals away from earning their adoration again. 

Do you think Gareth Bale is being treated harshly at Real Madrid? Let us know by leaving a comment below.