Choosing Bale over Cristiano caused Zidane to quit Real Madrid

The world of Real Madrid continues to remain in the dark as to the real reason Zinedine Zidane walked away from the club despite having two years left on his contract. His agent, Alain Migliaccio, said he was 'emotionally drained' and that he choose to have 'a year off'. The latest version comes from Diego Torres in 'El Pais', He claims Zidane walked away was due to the fact Florentino Perez opted to keep Gareth Bale rather than Cristiano Ronaldo.

Zidane had shown very little faith in the Welsh forward. In fact, he asked Perez to sell Bale - and Perez agreed - in order for him to bring someone else in. The president's choice was Neymar but Zidane, via his own contacts in France, wasn't convinced about the player's attitude and ability to respect authority.

a problem for the french man

Bale ended up being the man who would force Zidane out of the door. His constant injuries were one aspect. This was alongside his tactical indiscipline, where he didn't listen to instructions and preferred to play as an individual. As a result his performances were irregular. These arguments convinced Perez it was right to sell Bale.

But everything changed during that final in Kiev. Florentino had a frosty relationship with Cristiano and Bale came onto the pitch, scored two goals, and helped the side lift their third consecutive Champions League title. The president used this opportunity to back his own decision to sign Bale and eased the concerns the player had about leaving. The end result is what we all know now: Cristiano was sold and Bale remains. Zidane left and Lopetegui came in.