Zidane Departure From Real Madrid Was Bitter, Sergio Ramos Says

Sergio Ramos says Zinedine Zidane leaving Real Madrid was "bitter", but the club captain is "thankful" to the French coach for leading the club to a trio of consecutive Champions League titles.

Zidane resigned from his post after Madrid downed Liverpool in Kiev to defend their Champions League crown again, with Julen Lopetegui confirmed as his replacement.

Lopetegui was subsequently fired by Spain on the eve of the World Cup, Ramos' side crashing out of the World Cup at the last-16 stage to Russia on penalties under replacement Fernando Hierro.

And in a social media post the day after Spain's shock exit, Ramos summed up Madrid's 2017-18 season as he looked ahead to the new campaign.

 

(1/2) Hoy termina nuestra temporada y como cualquiera, hago balance. No penséis que no analizamos las cosas y no somos conscientes de nuestros errores y aciertos. Lo somos, y más por el peso que tienen en el estado de ánimo de todos aquellos que nos seguís y apoyáis. Lo vivimos con ilusión y con enorme responsabilidad. Con el @realmadrid ha sido una temporada con sombras, bien es cierto, y con una gran luz. Las competiciones domésticas se nos atragantaron, pero volver a conquistar la @championsleague , por tercera vez consecutiva, ha sido un logro histórico. La despedida de @zidane fue un postre amargo, pero cada uno es libre de tomar sus decisiones. Agradecimiento infinito a nuestro míster. ••• Today our season ends and it's time to look back on the season as a whole. Don't think we don't analyse things and that we're not conscious of our mistakes and of what we got right. We are, and all the more because of the difference it makes to all of you who follow us and support us. We live everything with passion and with responsibility. With @realmadrid it was a season with lows, that is certainly true, but also one great high. In domestic competitions we were unsuccessful, but we conquered Europe winning the @Championsleague for the third year in a row, which was an historic achievement. @Zidane’s goodbye was a bitter way to follow it up but everyone is free to make their own decisions. We'll be forever thankful to our coach.

A post shared by Sergio Ramos (@sergioramos) on Jul 2, 2018 at 6:03am PDT

"Today our season ends and it's time to look back on the season as a whole," Ramos posted on Instagram.

"Don't think we don't analyse things and that we're not conscious of our mistakes and of what we got right. We are, and all the more because of the difference it makes to all of you who follow us and support us. We live everything with passion and with responsibility.

"With Real Madrid it was a season with lows, that is certainly true, but also one great high. In domestic competitions we were unsuccessful, but we conquered Europe winning the Champions League for the third year in a row, which was an historic achievement.

"Zidane’s goodbye was a bitter way to follow it up but everyone is free to make their own decisions. We'll be forever thankful to our coach."