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Cristiano Ronaldo: Julen Lopetegui’s father reveals how Real Madrid sacking happened
CRISTIANO RONALDO and the failure to find a suitable replacement is to blame for Real Madrid’s demise this season, not Julen Lopetegui.
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That is the opinion of Lopetegui’s father, Jose Antonio, who thinks his son shouldn’t have been sacked.
Lopetegui was appointed as Real Madrid boss last summer, but a disastrous run, including a 5-1 defeat in the El Clasico against Barcelona was the Spaniard’s fifth loss in six games.
Real sold Ronaldo to Juventus in the previous transfer window, but were unable to fill the void insofar as find a high-calibre replacement went.
“Cristiano Ronaldo was good. Was he cocky? We all have defects, but it turns out he scored 50 goals a season,” Lopetegui’s father told Spanish paper El Mundo.
They have stolen 50 goals from my son
“He is missing. You are missing a prominent goalscorer.
“They haven't bought one, not a single one.
“There was talk of Neymar and others, but no one came.
“They have stolen 50 goals from my son!”
Lopetegui’s father claimed his son wasn’t criticising the players for his dismissal.
“He has to settle with what he has and don't get me wrong, he is delighted with the players he has.
“He usually says: 'I have great people, they give everything they've got.' He doesn't blame the players.
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“But when there is no material, there isn't. There was but he left.”
Lopetegui will be "provisionally replaced" by ex-player Santiago Solari, coach of B team Castilla.
Real are ninth in La Liga table, just six points above the relegations spots.