Former Real Madrid President Ramon Calderon says that Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure to Juventus this summer had a role to play in Julen Lopetegui getting sacked by Real Madrid. Real Madrid sacked Lopetegui following their 5-1 drubbing against Barcelona on Saturday.
This is Lopetegui’s second sack within four months, having previously been sacked as manager of Spain’s national team because he agreed to join Real Madrid following the World Cup.
Real Madrid have had a bizarre run of form in the past month, having not one a single of their La Liga matches. Calderon believes that Lopetegui is the not the reason behind Real’s struggles. He believes that Real Madrid letting go of Cristiano Ronaldo is the reason why they are performing poorly lately. Ronaldo left Real Madrid this summer to join Juventus. Real Madrid eyed the likes of Neymar, Eden Hazard and Kylian Mbappe as his replacement but did not sign any quality player. Calderon slammed his successor as Real President Florentino Perez for Real’s poor run of form of late.
Calderon said, “Unfortunately it’s another of the president’s whims. If he was the right man in June, only four months ago, he cannot be unfit now. He signed him just two days before the World Cup started, so damaging our national team and now he’s sacking him. I think that’s the problem, I think he [Lopetegui] is not the one to be blamed.
That has been the main trouble, to transfer Cristiano in June has been a historic mistake and we are paying for that now.”
Real Madrid have appointed their B coach manager Santiago Solari as interim manager for the time being. Los Blancos play their first match in Lopetegui’s absence against third-tier club Melilla.
