Antonio Conte set to replace Julen Lopetegui as Real Madrid manager

Julen Lopetegui is set to be sacked as Real Madrid manager on Monday, with former Chelsea boss Antonio Conte in line to replace him next week.

According to Spanish outlet Marca, Real Madrid manager Julen Lopetegui is set to receive the boot after suffering a humiliating 5-1 thrashing from arch-rivals FC Barcelona on Sunday. Lopetegui, who replaced Zinedine Zidane as Real Madrid manager in the summer, has made a dismal start to the new season.

Los Blancos have won just one of their last seven games in all competitions. And their heavy defeat to Barcelona left them in ninth place in the La Liga standings, seven points behind the Catalans.

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Lopetegui is set to pay the price with the former Spain boss set to be relieved of his duties on Monday, just four months after his appointment.

Marca’s report says that Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has lost all confidence in Lopetegui’s ability to turn things around at the club and he is now expected to turn to Antonio Conte, who was sacked as Chelsea manager in the summer. Perez has already held talks with Conte and the 49-year-old is keen to take the job at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The Italian is said to have finally resolved his contract dispute his Chelsea, meaning he is finally free to manage another club, and he could be appointed in time for Real Madrid’s Copa del Rey tie against second division side Melilla on Wednesday.

Conte, who won the Premier League title in his first season in charge with Chelsea, will bring a very different tactical profile to Real Madrid than they have been accustomed to in recent years. With the Los Blancos’ season in danger of unravelling, Conte will have a mammoth task on his hands.

It will be interesting to see how his preferred three at the back formation works at Real Madrid and also how the players take to his big personality. Conte’s time at Chelsea divided opinion but now he has another chance to prove himself at one of the biggest clubs in the world.