Ever since the end of the UEFA Champions League final, Real Madrid has been surrounded by controversy. Zidane's resignation made it even more complicated for fans to understand what was going on, but with Julen Lopetegui's appointment as coach earlier today, fans may have a better idea on what the future holds in store for Los Blancos.
One of the players involved in transfer rumors is Gareth Bale, and with Lopetegui's appointment, the Bernabeu's doors seem to be as open as ever for the Welshman to leave, mainly due to a couple of reasons.
First off, being a former youth category coach for Spain, Lopetegui favors giving Spanish players a chance to shine in his teams. Players such as Dani Carvajal, Nacho, Isco, Marco Asensio and even Alvaro Morata thrived under Lopetegui during his two years as Spain's U-19 and U-21 coach. With his appointment as Los Blancos' boss, the coach will surely rely on these players to create Real Madrid's new version.
The second reason has to do with his opinion regarding Bale. A few years ago, Lopetegui criticized the Welshman's commitment to the team, and even hinted that he would not give Bale a spot in his starting XI.
Julen Lopetegui on Bale in 2015, "A player at Real Madrid has to give 100% all the time. If he doesn't then he might as well leave. La Liga is totally different to the Premier League. A player like that wouldn't get into my team." Doesn't sound good for the Welshman. #RM
— Diego Martinez (@DiegoMSport) June 12, 2018
And what about Cristiano Ronaldo?
Contrary to his thoughts on Bale, Lopetegui has admitted Cristiano Ronaldo to be one of the best players in history, due to his hunger for goals and his drive on the pitch. "Cristiano is one of the best players of all-time, there's no doubt about it," Lopetegui said recently. Nevertheless, a recent interview by the Spanish boss saw him praising Lionel Messi as the best player ever, which may raise doubts about his relationship with the Portuguese ace.
We'll have to wait and see if the Spanish boss is keen on keeping Real Madrid's all-time top scorer around for at least one more season, or if he chooses to start re-building his squad to fit his preferred tactics.
