Real Madrid coach Julen Lopetegui spoke in an interview with Onda Cero about his tenure as the coach of Spain and his first months in charge of Los Blancos.
“Simply I took a decision and I would take it again, I did it honestly and I have no regrets,” said Lopetegui. The coach agreed to a deal with Real Madrid just days ahead of the World Cup and while he was still Spain’s coach. Spanish Football Federation Luis Rubiales decided to sack him before the tournament started.
“Not at all, I am very happy to train Madrid, we have a great challenge, a fantastic objective and I have a lot of hope that it goes great for the national team with Luis Enrique,” he continued. I am a fervent supporter of Spain, now it is period for me in the past and now we are focused on our objective which is a big challenge. We are all focused on what we have to do now and the past is in the past,” explained Lopetegui when asked about Spain again.
The Spanish coach also revealed that he did not talk with Cristiano Ronaldo before the Portuguese star decided to leave.
“I did not speak to him, it was a situation where he had already decided to leave and the club went along with this for a player who had been tremendous. They allowed this desire and restlessness that he had,” he said.
Lopetegui also discussed his tactics. Real Madrid have been playing with a possession-oriented style and it seems that this will be the way they play going forward.
“When you start the first that you try to do is explain your way of doing things, how you see football and how you can adapt it to the players. The players arrived gradually, there were some players that knew me and that was an advantage,” said the coach.
Real Madrid spent €35 million to sign goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois this summer but it seems that Lopetegui might not be willing to give him the job as a starter just yet.
“I spoke with them both obviously,” he explained. “I have not said that one will play in the league and the other in the Champions League, we will see. Both can play during the season,” he added.
Lopetegui also explained why Vinicius will mostly play for Castilla this season.
“He has the quality but he needs to adapt to the demands of Madrid and European football. He is doing this because he is intelligent, we have not had the right moment to play him yet but that will come. I don’t know if it will be in the Champions League, right now he is with Real Madrid and he has the same chances as everyone,” he revealed.