Bale has played two hours of football in six months for Real and made just two

appearances since the last international window in November.

The former Tottenham forward stopped short of answering his critics after his incredible
performance against Austria, but alluded to being hurt by the coverage he has received.

"I don't need to send a message," he told Sky Sports. "I don't need to say anything, it's a
waste of my time.

"It's disgusting. They should be ashamed of themselves. I am not fussed, end of.

"I can hit a free-kick if I am able to play. It was nice to see it go in."

Bale's statement on social media made clear his disappointment at how the Spanish
media have written about him.

"The media expect superhuman performances from professional athletes and will be the
first to celebrate with them when they deliver, yet instead of commiserating with them
when they show an ounce of human error, they are torn to shreds instead, encouraging
anger and disappointment in their fans," he wrote.