Villas-Boas: Bale is no diver, he is being persecuted by refs

CARD LUCK ... Bale cannot believe it

ANDRE VILLAS-BOAS reckons Gareth Bale is being persecuted — after he was booked for diving for the THIRD time in five games.

The Tottenham winger is out of the New Year’s Day clash against Reading following his fifth caution of the season.

Ref Martin Atkinson showed him the yellow card nine minutes from time as he tumbled to the floor following a challenge by Craig Gardner.

The Welsh winger, 23, insists he is not a cheat. And Spurs boss Villas-Boas claims his player is being targeted after Jermain Defoe escaped a booking for a similar incident in the first half at the Stadium of Light.

AVB blasted: “It was a big mistake from the ref. I understand that reputations are sometimes created from the outside and it’s unfair. We had the same situation with Defoe in the first half.

“It looks like persecution this time. If you see the images, Gardner does not even focus on the ball. He goes to the player and he clips him.

“Gareth was one game away from being clean of his yellow cards and it’s extremely unfair he misses the Reading game for such a big mistake.”

Bale has been booked five times for simulation since the start of last season — more than any other player in the Premier League.

But the wing wizard insists he is not a con artist. He fumed: “It’s the same thing every time — it’s the third time I have been clipped this season and I have been booked for no reason again.

“There’s nothing I can do about it — referees have to look closer.”

Asked whether he is too theatrical when he goes down, Bale stormed: “What am I expected to do, hit my head on the floor?

“If people kick me I’m not going to stop going over as it is a foul.”