Iwan Roberts believes fellow Welshman Gareth Bale should look to move back to the Premier League if he continues to receive criticism from sections of Real Madrid's support.
The 25-year-old has been coming in for flack for what has been perceived as a poor run of form - with the jeers and criticisms coming to a head when Bale's car appeared to be attacked by supporters as he departed the Madrid training base following their 2-1 defeat to rivals Barcelona on Sunday night.
Spanish newspaper Marca also claimed that it was obvious Real president Florentino Perez had "paid E100m for someone worth E20m" whilst fellow publication AS refused to rate Bale's performance in the Nou Camp.
Bale will now escape the cauldron of Madrid as he links up with Wales for their weekend European Championship qualifier with Israel and Roberts believes he could soon be back in Britain permanently if his Madrid career continues to be stunted by crowd abuse.
Roberts, who was speaking to Press Association Sport at the filming of the Vauxhall Home Nations Football Show, said: "It can't be nice for him.
"He is still a young lad and if he is still getting the stick he has been getting over the last four or five months now, come to somewhere people appreciate you.
"Come to somewhere where the fans realise how hard you work for the side and the quality you bring to a side.
"I think if he keeps getting treated the way he is by some of the supporters and the media over there, he will want to prove a lot of people wrong.
"He has got a strong mentality and only time will tell but he doesn't deserve the treatment he has been getting."
The likes of Chelsea and both Manchester City and neighbours United have reportedly shown interest in bringing the former Tottenham winger back to the Premier League and Roberts feels Bale is being unfairly targeted as the fall-guy for Real.
"It is a strange one," he said.
"He had a great first season last year - he scored the second goal in the Champions League final, scored a great goal in the Spanish Cup yet they have not really taken to him and I'm not sure why.
"I do think he gets harshly treated in the Bernabeu - maybe it will take for Gareth to move away (for that to stop).
"Gareth has got the world's most expensive price tag still around his neck. He has still scored 16 goals this season.
"He probably hasn't played as well this year as he did do in his first season at Madrid but as a Welshman, I know what he brings to the table.
"He is probably not in the form he would like to be, come Saturday he will be raring to go for Wales. He has grown up with the squad, they are friends. They mix together and socialise together, they are a close-knit group and I think Gareth likes that."
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Source: PA
