Bale in the spotlight ahead of Real Madrid’s game against Chelsea

MADRID: Just about everything has been going Real Madrid’s way recently, in the Spanish league and the Champions League.

Not even the resounding 4-0 loss to Barcelona in the “clasico” at home a few weeks ago was enough to knock the Spanish league leaders off track.

But heading into Tuesday’s second leg against Chelsea in the Champions League quarterfinals, when Madrid would defend a 3-1 lead from the first match in London, some of the team’s focus was being directed toward Gareth Bale and his old feud with fans.

The 32-year-old Bale, who spent last season on loan at former club Tottenham, was loudly jeered by the Madrid crowd at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium after coming off the bench in the team’s 2-0 win over Getafe in the Spanish league on Saturday. Players and coach Carlo Ancelotti couldn’t avoid talking about it.

“When you jeer a player, you are jeering all of us,” Madrid midfielder Casemiro said Monday. “I didn’t like it because Bale is a historic player for this club. He has scored a lot of important goals for this club. When you jeer a player like him, you are jeering the history of this club. I hope that the fans will support all of us and will get excited about the game tomorrow. We need their support.”

Ancelotti, who included Bale in the squad for the second leg, had already talked about the importance of having fans and players on the same page.

“In a moment like this in the season, when we need every player, the unity between fans and the squad is a very important aspect,” Ancelotti said after the match against Getafe. “Bale is well, he has been practicing and wants to play and help the team, that’s the most important thing.”

Bale has long been at odds with Madrid fans, who feel he hasn’t made the