Junior Ajayi hits top form in time for Al Ahly CAF Champions League crunch tie

The former France defender says Real Madrid’s players have not stepped up to replace the Portuguese star since he left for Juventus.
Marcel Desailly has categorised Real Madrid’s post-Cristiano Ronaldo plans as a “failure” as he pointed to Gareth Bale’s inability to properly replace the Portuguese star throughout this season.
Real Madrid have endured a catastrophic week, culminating with their shocking Champions League elimination at the hands of Ajax .
The loss came on the heels of a Copa del Rey defeat at the hands of Barcelona as well as another Clasico loss in La Liga, one which leaves them 12 points off the pace of the leaders.
Ronaldo’s departure looms large over Santiago Bernabeu, and Desailly says it is easy to see that the club failed to properly account for his absence.
“I’m sure they believed that the player that was going to bring them to a different level was going to be Bale – failure,” Desailly said on beIN Sports .
“[Marco] Asensio, Isco, they thought the fact that Cristiano is gone, [Karim] Benzema was going to get to a different dimension. He had his time, four five, six, seven games he’s done well, but it was not enough!”
Joining Desailly was Ruud Gullit, who agreed with Desailly’s sentiment that change was coming to Madrid.
Santiago Solari is expected to leave this summer if not before , and Gullitt says that a number of players could be on their way out as well while signalling out Luka Modric and Toni Kroos as two that should remain.
“I think so. They have done wonderful things for the club, but I think it’s going to happen,” said the former Netherlands star.
“They have already been getting a lot of stick in the newspapers, these players. The only one that has stood out is Modric, he can do it for sure. Kroos is also.”
However, Desailly says, if a mass exodus does occur, it will be difficult for the club to truly replace everyone as modern football has changed how clubs can rebuild squads.
“During the time Madrid was doing well, they secured the contract of players,” he said. “It’s not something that is easy.
“It’s the modern days. You really have to consider this