Gareth Bale had to wait for 70 minutes for his opportunity in Real Madrid's 3-0 win over Athletic Club on Sunday and when it came, he was whistled by his own fans.

The Welsh winger replaced Lucas Vazquez in the second half and was jeered by a sector of the club's support when he touched the ball for the very first time.

The former Tottenham attacker responded by holding his fist aloft in a gesture of defiance. Later, he was applauded when he should have scored, although the clapping may have been for the slick counter-attack.

Either way, it was strange, and it has been for some time. By contrast, another player enduring a difficult season, Isco, was brought on to cheers from the Madrid fans.

Why the appreciation for the Spain midfielder and the denigration for his team-mate? "I don't know," Zidane said afterwards, thinking long and hard about what to say next before adding: "Bale had a chance to score and I'm sorry for him because I would like to have seen him score today."

Apart from chipping onto the roof of the net when he should have netted, Bale was key in the third goal as Karim Benzema completed his hat-trick, the winger racing away and forcing Iago Herrerin to charge out of his area. The goalkeeper messed up his clearance and the Frenchman hit the ball into the empty net from distance.

Bale started the first two games on Zidane's return as coach, but has been included in the line-up for just one of the last four fixtures – and that with Vinicius Junior sidelined through injury.

It is no secret that Zidane wanted to sell Bale last summer and while he has not said so, the Frenchman's insistence on keeping Raphael Varane and indifference when asked about the Welshman is a clear indication of his thoughts on the matter.

The player's agent, Jonathan Barnett, has maintained that his client wants to stay and says Real Madrid should build the team around the Welshman. But even when fully fit and at his best, Bale is not quite at the level to be afforded that luxury at the world's biggest club.

"Something interesting happened on Sunday: his first touch was whistled, but then, when he was through one on one, he dinked the ball just over the bar and was widely applauded," former Real Madrid striker, coach and general manager Jorge Valdano told Spanish radio station Onda Cero.

"People still expect promise that has never been fulfilled. To his credit, he has fulfilled this promise at critical times, with trophies on the line, but, judging his performances regularly, he has produced less than expected."

That is the general feeling in Madrid and although it seems ungrateful with respect to a player who has netted in two Champions League finals for Los Blancos, the fact is he has not been consistently at the level expected when he was signed for €100 million in 2013.

With Madrid looking to bring in Eden Hazard and possibly another high-profile attacking player this summer, Bale is one of those the club will be looking to move on. But that may be easier said than done.

"Madrid will consider loaning Bale," Marca said on their front page on Monday, saying he will "leave at all costs" but highlighting that there have been no offers for a player who has had 29 injuries in his time at the Santiago Bernabeu.

"Either you sell Bale or you keep him," television presenter Josep Pedrerol responded in his editorial on La Sexta later in the day. "You don't loan him."

The problem for Madrid is that Bale is on high wages and does not want to leave. While he would command a considerable fee, he is injury prone, will be 30 in July, and is also under contract until 2022.

Finding a club willing to pay big money for the Welshman will therefore be difficult and that is why Real would contemplate a loan, although that would only see his value depreciate even more as he gets older.

By leaving Bale on the bench, Zidane is not putting his player in the shop window either.

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"He would be starting if Madrid wanted to cash in," Valdano said. "Zidane has other priorities. He is looking at players for next season."

That is all very well, but Real's rebuilding project may depend to some extent on selling Bale, which was partly why Zidane left last summer in the first place. Amid the continued murmurs of discontent for the Welshman at the Bernabeu, uncertain times lie ahead for the 29-year-old in Madrid.