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What's the rumour?
Real Madrid insiders have reportedly claimed that the club, which is currently under transition, miss the guidance of former boss Zinedine Zidane more than the goal-scoring exploits of Cristiano Ronaldo.
In case you didn't know...
Much has been made of Ronaldo's exit, with fans blaming the elite mentality of the club and president Florentino Perez as the reasons for the departure.
The Portuguese ace moved to Juventus last summer, shortly after Zidane announced his departure from the European champions.
Since then, the team has undergone a turbulent season, suffering a series of defeats, including that El Clasico loss, and losing a manager in Julen Lopetegui.
Under new boss Santiago Solari, the team still struggles to maintain consistency, evident by their defeat to Girona over the weekend.
Fans were quick to point out that Ronaldo's absence has reduced Los Blancos to a shell of their former title-winning selves.
The heart of the matter
According to OK Diario director Eduardo Inda, however, Real Madrid insiders have admitted that they miss the services of Zidane more than those of Ronaldo.
The Diario report also claims that Los Blancos players do not think that Solari is capable of taking charge of the team next season and only consider the Argentine a transitional figure.
The defeat to Girona over the weekend has reportedly weighed heavy on the minds of the players and they are now hoping for a new boss to come in.
What's next?
Last year, Solari signed a three-year contract to remain in charge of Real Madrid through the 2020-21 season, having earned the support of higher-ups at the club owing to the results he produced. However, the inconsistency may come back to haunt him if he does not rectify the issue soon.
Real Madrid appeared to have found their form with a series of wins but a shock defeat to Girona saw them drop points and lose their place on the table to Atletico Madrid.
The European champions are next scheduled to face Levante in LaLiga on Sunday.
