Not for the first time Gareth Bale’s leading role in the soap opera that is Real Madrid is under scrutiny. Neil Masuda wonders why his Spanish critics can’t just do what Manchester City fans do with Sergio Aguero – allow his feet to do the talking.

For a man of few words, Gareth Bale sure knows how to rile the locals in Spain.

La Liga have just asked the Spanish Football Federation to punish Bale for a “provocative gesture” after he celebrated scoring in Real Madrid’s 3-1 win over Atletico Madrid.

The Welshman raised his bent arm and hit it with his other hand in a gesture considered offensive in Spain.

He could be facing a ban of between four and 12 games – and it comes at a time when an online poll by newspaper AS suggested 54% of Real fans do not want him in their starting line-up.

They seem not to care that Bale’s goal against Atletico was a landmark – his 100th goal for Real.

But then words of praise have always come grudgingly for the Cardiff boy in the Spanish capital.

He had been warming the bench again and came on to replace Vinicius Junior, the 18-year-old Brazilian import whom the Madridistas have already taken to their hearts.

Of Vinicius Jr, current Real manager Santiago Solari said: “His adaptation has been very fast.

“He has adapted to a new country, a new culture, a different type of football.

“He has shown his talent, but we have to take care of him.”

And perhaps in just those few lines, Solari encapsulated the problem for Bale – “He has adapted to a new country, a new culture”.

Bale has now been there for six years and, according to team-mate Marcelo speaks only four words of Spanish.

“We talk with gestures and I say in English, ‘Hi, hello and good wine’,” said the Brazilian defender (which makes you wonder what they’re imbibing after training, if nothing else).

And it seems to be something that peeves the Bernabeu faithful, who are daily stirred up by the partisan football papers.

A narrow 2-1 win over Ajax on Wednesday night in Amsterdam saw a rare start for Bale, but he was the first player hooked in the 61st minute.

He must have developed some tough hide to withstand the criticism he has taken over recent years.

It isn’t enough that Bale was the major factor in securing their latest Champions League trophy and played a key role in their previous successes in the tournament.

It gets forgotten how often he had contributed to their last La Liga triumph. Wasn’t that all down to Cristiano Ronaldo, you can almost sniffily hear them arguing.

But one of the main reasons why the Spanish are indignant is simply because Bale won’t speak the lingo.

Curiously it seems to matter not one jot to Manchester City fans that their own goal machine, Sergio Aguero, conducts most of his post-match interviews in Spanish.

The Etihad faithful find their pleasure in his metronomic ability to hit the net.

And if Kun isn’t participating in tutorials to speak like a Manc or trying to master English for Dummies, who really cares?

That time-honoured cliche of letting footballers’ feet do the talking only became a hackneyed expression because there is much truth in it.

And, in Bale – who is hardly given to being verbose at the best of times – it could not be more obvious.

The lad who attended Whitchurch High School has shown an admirable resilience to the brickbats that have frequently come his way, from former Real team-mates and even former bosses.

Think back to last summer and Bale himself was mightily put out when he started that last Champions League Final on the bench.

And even his wonder goal – the first of a brace, remember – did not elicit any form of gratitude from then boss Zinedine Zidane.

“He didn’t talk to me about it – I still haven’t spoken to him since,” said Bale, afterwards. “I wouldn’t say we were best mates, it was just a normal professional relationship.”

On his man-of-the-match performance in that same game, he modestly added: “I was really frustrated not to start.

“I was desperate to get on to that pitch. When I ran on, I was still a bit angry – and that’s probably why I did what I did next.”

It’s an anger he’s done well to hide during his often trying times for Los Blancos.

Chronic criticism has dogged him since he started at the Bernabeu.

Bale was accused of not being passionate enough and failing to fill Cristiano Ronaldo’s boots.

Former Real player Jorge Valdano, who also managed the team between 1994 and 1996, was critical of the £85million ($112m) signing even after he scored in a 4-2 La Liga victory over Espanyol.

He said: “Bale has tremendous class, but then he disappears, he shows less passion than other players.

“Bale is a player who fights against his body, he does not look like a passionate player.

“He came to occupy the emptiness left by Cristiano and he has not, the one who has occupied that empty place is Vinicius.”

Bale’s agent Jonathan Barnett had already had run-ins with Valdano, calling him a ”nothing” after the former Real Madrid sporting director heavily criticised the Wales international’s performance in the 5-1 defeat at Barcelona.

Bale started the match at Camp Nou, but was substituted on 76 minutes with his side 3-1 down and Valdano berated his lack of tactical discipline as one of the major problems.

“Bale is one of many players at Madrid who play very freely,” Valdano said. “He had the job to follow [Barca left-back] Jordi Alba, and his concentration lasted just seven minutes.

“Alba was completely free to set up the first goal. There are players in the squad, who, like Bale, think they are so important they can do whatever they want. That goes against the collective.”

But Barnett hit back and told Valdano exactly how highly he valued the Argentine’s opinion.

“It comes from nothing so it is taken as nothing,” said Barnett.

Valdano – a World Cup winner in 1986 with Argentina – also scathingly said: “Bale’s price left the fantasy that he is world-class. But his last five seasons do not match what Real Madrid paid for him.

“He can score the goal of the season any year – and that must be applauded, but [other players like] Sergio Ramos are consistent throughout the season and have also scored historic goals for Real Madrid.”

Former Madrid forward Predrag Mijatovic has also joined the ranks for those taking a swipe at the Welshman.

Following an injury during an away fixture against Villareal when Bale was taken off at half-time as Madrid were leading 2-1, ex-Yugoslavia striker Mijatovic said: “It’s a shame about Bale. I like him, but he is nowhere near being a leader at a team like Real Madrid after Cristiano’s exit. It is worrying that he injures himself so often.”

Closer to home, former Wales boss John Toshack recently pitched in with more positive advice, suggesting Bale needs to be more like Ronaldo.

Toshack, who handed Bale his international debut back in 2006, believes the Welshman needs to step up as a replacement for the Portuguese superstar, now at Juventus.

He said: “Cristiano plays as a winger, scores and sets up goals for the others.

“There’s no doubt that Gareth is one of the best players of all time.

“If he wants to continue there, he should try and copy what Cristiano does.

“If you look at what he’s achieved, it makes you wonder what he would have done if he hadn’t been so unlucky with injuries.

“So obviously, with the experience he has, maybe he can drop off a little and play short balls, drop deeper and read the game more.

“It’s been very difficult for him and he deserves credit for the way he’s persevered. What we could never have really imagined were the injury problems he’s had.”

Rumours continue to circulate whether Manchester United could come in this summer to offer Bale a way back to the Premier League and an end to the antagonism he has endured in Spain.

Perhaps he might even follow the thinking of fellow Wales star Aaron Ramsey – and, ironically, his former Real team-mate Ronaldo – and make a move to Juventus, where his skills would surely flourish.

It is still worth remembering that in six years in Spain, Bale has lifted 13 trophies, including four Champions Leagues and a La Liga title.

He has notched up 100 goals in all competitions for the club and a total of more than 50 assists.

Maybe he feels he still has a point to prove, but, with such a prevalently antagonistic attitude from the fans, who could blame him for just saying, ‘Hasta la vista, baby’?

What’s your view? Do you think Bale should return to Britain and play for a Premier League club or has he invited criticism by not fully immersing himself in the Spanish culture? Let us know your thoughts.