Julen Lopetegui believes Gareth Bale to step up after Ronaldo left Madrid
Real Madrid head coach Julen Lopetegui believes that Welsh star Gareth Bale will step up and perform for the Spanish side after Real Madrid star player Cristiano Ronaldo has left the Spanish side and joined the Italian side Juventus.
Initially there were linkups of Bale leaving the side and moving to possible destination like Manchester United or Tottenham Hotspurs. But the player is reportedly staying at the Santiago Bernabue for the upcoming season.
The Welsh player was reportedly frustrated with  Zinedine Zidane who was not giving the player enough starts for the Spanish side. But now Zinedine Zidane has also left the side which could see the player given more opportunities under new coach Julen Lopetegui.
The manager is eager to give Bale the freedom which the player was not given under previous managers.
In talks with media reporters, the Real Madrid boss said, “When I signed, Cristiano still belonged to Real Madrid but soon he expressed his desire to leave,”
“As a coach, it is an exciting challenge to make a competitive team without Cristiano. [I have] recognition for one of the most important players in the history of Real Madrid, the club appreciated his legacy by facilitating his departure”
“We are convinced that Bale is going to have a great year and we expect a lot from him. We will work together for him to reach top form.”
There were linkups of players like Neymar, Eden Hazard and Kylian Mbappe joining the club, but there is no news yet. Even Chelsea and Belgian star goalkeeper and 2018 Worl cup Golden Glove winner is also linked to a move to the Spanish side for a long period but no official news yet.
Talking to reporters ahead of a clash against Manchester United in Lopetegui said: “We are delighted with the squad we have and are convinced that we will fight for all our objectives, and it cannot be any other way at Real Madrid.
“We want to be a great team on the pitch. If a player doesn’t come or go, I will be a happy coach. We are not going to talk about hypotheticals. With the squad we have, we will be able to face the demands of Real Madrid.”
Also read, Real Madrid prepare a bid for Kieran Trippier
