Gareth Bale said his "disgusting" critics should be "ashamed of themselves" after coming up with the goods in Wales' World Cup qualifying play-off victory over Austria.
The Real Madrid star, who is out of contract at the end of the season, put Rob Page's side ahead with an unstoppable first-half free-kick. He added a second after the break and, despite Marcel Sabitzer giving Austria hope, the hosts held out.
The victory puts Wales within just one game of a place at the World Cup in Qatar. Their final play-off game will be against either Scotland and Ukraine, who were also due to play their play-off this week but saw the game postponed in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Bale has come in for criticism from the Spanish media, not just this season. He has barely featured for the Spanish club under Carlo Ancelotti this term, but insisted he doesn't need to say anything to those who have spoken out about him.
"No. I don't need to send a message, honestly," Bale said after the 2-1 victory." It's a waste of my time, it's just disgusting. They should also be ashamed of themselves. I'm not fussed."
Earlier, Marca had described Bale as a "parasite" as the 32-year-old continues to feature for Wales while not picking up minutes at club level. “The Bale parasite came from the cold and rainy Britannia,” the column from Manuel Julia reads.
“He settled in Spain, at Real Madrid, where, masked, he first showed diligence and love for the guest, but then his nature led him to suck blood without giving anything in return. Well, more than blood, he sucked, and sucks, the club’s euros.
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“Unlike others of its kind, such as the flea, the louse or the bedbug, the Bale parasite does not cause itching or illnesses in its host, but after sucking, it laughs and makes fun of it, showing a jocular contempt for the one from whom he lives," the Marca piece continues.
“He laughs, applauds, throws himself on the ground, sings, as a kind of humiliating ceremony, which, luckily, has an expiration date, like all misfortunes.”
"I don't listen to any of them, it's a waste of time," the former Spurs man had told Sky Sports before the game. "[It doesn't grind you down] when you don't read it, so it makes no difference what they're writing.
"I could say something but it's better not to," he added. Bale has played just 77 minutes for Real Madrid since the turn of the year, but managed more than that against Austria before going down with what he said was cramp in the closing stages.
“It was a massive game. We knew that," Bale said. “We had to perform and dig deep and use our experience in big games.
“It’s the perfect scenario. I can hit a free-kick if I am able to play. It was nice to see it go in. The early goal gave us that momentum and the second one was nice as well.
“I had some cramp at the end which I guess is normal but l will run into the ground for this country and we all did that. That’s half the job done. We will enjoy tonight. There is still another tough game against either Scotland or Ukraine and we will be ready for that when it comes.”
There might have been some worries about his fitness had the next game been just days away, as originally scheduled. However, with a wait until the game against Scotland or Ukraine, Page and his players will hope their talisman can get some more minutes under his belt.
