Barcelona won their second clasico in four days on Saturday and Real Madrid might have to win the Uefa Champions League if Santiago Solari is to be in charge for the next one.
Bale was largely anonymous again and when substituted in the second half, he departed not just to a scattering of whistles from the home crowd but a chorus.
"He tried, like everyone else," Solari said. "We played as a team, if something we did well, it was to play together, to attack, defend."
Solari said in his post-match television interview with broadcaster Movistar Partidazo: "I think Bale has done a lot of things for this club and a lot of great things.
"Everyone deserves respect because they have done a lot for the club, but the fans are sovereign."