BBC question Marca’s negative coverage of Gareth Bale, Marca return fire with Jimmy Savile reference

We're not certain that media companies have Christmas card lists but if they do then there's some serious crossing out being done on the part of the BBC and Marca.

The broadcaster and Spanish newspaper have been at odds when it comes to the coverage of Gareth Bale in recent weeks and Marca has really stuck the boot into the argument with a really unnecessary Jimmy Savile reference. The BBC had recently criticised Marca for perpetuating an alleged agenda against Real Madrid's Bale in the hope of undermining the Welshman's biggest supporter, club president Florentino Perez. And Marca have responded to these accusations in incredible fashion by hitting out at the alleged "demise" of the BBC in recent years.

"This demise [of the BBC] has been made evident through incidents both great and small. In the latter camp come such bloopers as mixing up the Italian and Bulgarian flags at the beginning of the ongoing rugby Six Nations. 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. "An example that hits closer to home involves the recent accusations about Marca and our supposed agenda against Gareth Bale."

Pretty disproportionate riposte, don't ya think?