Real focus on league after Super Cup loss
Ronaldo’s exit set to haunt new coach
Madrid – Life without Cristiano Ronaldo and Zinedine Zidane got off to a rocky start for Real Madrid after losing the Uefa Super Cup to Atletico Madrid.
They will now be eager to smooth over those cracks in their opening La Liga game against Getafe on Sunday.
Real finished 17 points behind runaway champions Barcelona last season although they compensated by lifting a third consecutive Champions League title.
However, the departure of Ronaldo, their leading scorer for the past nine seasons, to Serie A champions Juventus, means they are lacking firepower ahead of the new campaign.
New coach Julen Lopetegui begins his first season in La Liga with the blemish of being sacked by Spain on the eve of this year’s World Cup for the manner in which he negotiated his move to Madrid.
Lopetegui is a highly respected tactician and had made Spain one of the favourites to win the tournament before his undignified exit threw their campaign into chaos, leading them to being knocked out by hosts Russia in the last 16.
The Spaniard, however, lacks the winning record of his French predecessor Zidane, who lifted nine trophies in two-and-a-half seasons at Madrid before quitting in June. Lopetegui’s only spell in charge of a top European club was a trophyless tenure with FC Porto lasting 18 months.
“We have to get the most out of the team and start to lift ourselves up now and start thinking about a league season which we are very excited about,” Lopetegui said after the Super Cup defeat by Atletico on Wednesday.
Barca, who have won seven of the last 10 La Liga titles, host Alaves tomorrow after winning the Spanish Super Cup by beating Sevilla 2-1 and having bolstered their side by signing defender Clement Lenglet and Brazilian midfielders Malcom and Arthur Melo.
Atletico, who finished above Real Madrid last season in second spot, begin their campaign on Monday away to Valencia, who finished fourth last season. –