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#1 Cristiano Ronaldo
For any team, losing their best player is not easy to deal with. For Real Madrid, the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo is one unlike any other. The Portuguese is not like any other player; he is a five-time Ballon d'Or Winner and one of the greatest to have ever played the game. Having joined for a then World Record transfer fee in 2009, Ronaldo spent nine seasons in Madrid, where he played 438 games, scored 450 goals and was a Catalyst in two league title triumphs and four Champions League wins. His departure leaves an obvious hole that is not going to be easy to replace but one you have to attempt to.
More than anything, Real Madrid has to find a way to replace the goals that Ronaldo bought with him. For each of the last seven seasons, the former Manchester United star scored more than 40 goals in all competitions. While Karim Benzema has remained Madrid's first choice striker over the years, the main goalscoring responsibilities have been Cristiano Ronaldo's.
Last season, no player even scored half the number of goals that Ronaldo did for Real Madrid. The second highest goalscorer for the European Champions was Gareth Bale with 21 goals. With the Welshman's fitness issues, it will be hard for Lopetegui to completely rely on him. For Karim Benzema, the goals seem to have dried up over the past few years having only scored five league goals in 32 appearances last season. At this stage of his career, Marco Asensio is also not one who looks like a big goal threat. For the goal's more than anything else, it is most important that Real Madrid add some firepower to their squad.
