I will help Bale shine again ―Lopetegui

Real Madrid coach Julen Lopetegui has vowed to help Gareth Bale have a standout season following the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo.

The prolific Portuguese forward left Los Blancos for Juventus this summer in a £99.2million deal to become one of the four most expensive players of all time.

Real have not yet signed a replacement for Ronaldo, who scored 450 goals in 438 games for the club, but Bale has already impressed his new boss.

“Bale is a player we love, he has been here a long time and has been training hard,” Lopetegui told journalists at his pre-UEFA Super Cup press conference, reported by MARCA.

“He is motivated and is an important player who forms part of the team, and being a team is what is important.

“We need great players like him, and I’m more than happy with his work and attitude.

“We have a player who is a super professional player in all aspects, who is training with the motivation of a youth player and who is helping us enormously.

“Yet I wouldn’t want to rely on one or two players. It is the team which is the main thing, and we will help Bale have a great season.”

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Real face city rivals Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Super Cup on Wednesday night.

Lopetegui added: “Atletico are a massive team with lots of international players and a clear idea of what the coach wants them to do.

“It will be physical and tactical because of the two teams playing, and we will need to concentrate in order to do everything to beat Atletico.

“They will take us to the limit in all aspects, physical, mental and tactical. I’m positive and optimistic.”