5 reasons why Real Madrid are struggling in La Liga

4) Why is Gareth Bale ignored by his teammates?

Gareth Bale finds himself isolated many times on the pitch

There's something quite odd about the way Gareth Bale is treated at Real Madrid. Once the most expensive player in the world, the Welshman has won three Champions League titles since his arrival at the Bernabeu.

However, the 28-year-old is constantly criticized for his sub-par performances. He has also been on the receiving end of boos from the home fans on a number of occasions.

But it hasn't deterred his focus and he refused to move away from the Spanish club despite clear interest from Premier League giants Manchester United.

"He's a key player in the squad. Gareth is Gareth. We keep working hard and we rely on Gareth, just as is the case with the other players." - Zidane

Although he has the backing of his manager, there are times when the same cannot be said of his teammates. Bale rarely seems to get the ball even when he makes perfect runs in behind the defence.

Asensio's stats provide the ideal comparison since they play on opposite wings but the young Spaniard has made far more touches and passes compared to Bale.

Asensio averages more than 36 passes per game while Bale only averages 27.6. Both players have played the same number of minutes but Asensio has had many more shots on goal.

6 - Gareth Bale has scored more goals as an away player at Anoeta than any other player in La Liga history. Dragon. pic.twitter.com/XiPFkWemSv

— OptaJose (@OptaJose) September 17, 2017

With the limited opportunities he has received, Bale has managed to make them count. His goal against Real Sociedad proved he is still very much a valuable member of the squad despite his many absences due to injury in the last season.