Marca references Jimmy Savile in scathing attack on the BBC for their Gareth Bale coverage

The Madrid daily posted the article this morning

Gareth Bale celebrates his first goal against Levante (GETTY IMAGES)

Marca has referenced Jimmy Savile in an astonishing attack on the BBC's coverage on Real Madrid "scapegoat" Gareth Bale.

An article was published by the BBC on Friday - prior to Bale's double against Levante last night - suggesting the Spanish newspaper has a campaign to force the £86m forward out of Madrid. In turn, Marca has now responded with an article slamming the BBC, even bringing up the alleged cover-up of the Savile scandal and the recent shameful scenes of hooliganism that have blighted British football.

The Madrid daily posted the article this morning responding to a piece on BBC's website which was titled: "Gareth Bale: The 'Lazy Loner' under fire at Real Madrid'.

The BBC's Spanish football writer Andy West wrote of Marca's "vicious attack" on the 25-year-old Welshman, and added that "the overall message is clear: Marca want Bale out. Marca have decided to make Bale the victim."

Marca has now hit back at the BBC with a firm denial that it was campaigning to get rid of Bale.

The article about the "demise" of the BBC had the headline "Hooligans on the BBC" in the Spanish version, and "The BBC's reprehensiBale smear campaign" in the translated version on Marca's English website.

It begins with talk of falling standards of the organisation: "The BBC has veered off the course that made it a byword for quality journalism throughout the 20th century."

And then says the "demise has been made evident through incidents both great and small". The small being the recent mix-up of Italian and Bulgarian flags on their coverage of a Six Nations match, and the great a shocking reference to the Savlile sexual abuse scandal. "The alleged cover-up of the sexual abuse of minors perpetrated by one of the BBC's former stars, presenter Jimmy Savile, is obviously of a far more serious nature."

Marca then added the BBC's article was "misguided" and wrote that West's accusations were "wholly unfounded and unjust".

The piece ends with Marca saying it does "not engage in campaigns" and the BBC "no longer informs its readers".

"For the record, Marca does not engage in campaigns; it informs readers. Rigorously. Something that apparently can no longer be said of the BBC who, like ITV, seem now to be all about drama."

The BBC has refused to comment on the Marca article.