Zidane implores Ronaldo to stay

MADRID - Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane broke off his holiday to call Cristiano Ronaldo in a bid to persuade his unsettled superstar not to quit the club, Spanish sports daily Marca claimed on Sunday.

Ronaldo, on Confederations Cup duty in Russia with Portugal, is believed to be furious over a tax probe into the offshore accounts dealing with his image rights, and has reportedly vowed to leave Spain.

"I am leaving Real Madrid," Marca claim Ronaldo told his Portuguese colleagues. "I have made a decision. There is no turning back," the daily sports paper reported.