Real Madrid sack Lopetegui and appoint Santiago Solari as interim boss

SANTIAGO BERNABéU, MADRID, SPAIN - 2018/10/20: Julen Lopetegui (Real Madrid) seen before the La Liga match between Real Madrid and Levante UD at Estadio Santiago Bernabéu.( Final score: Real Madrid 1:2 Levante). (Photo by Manu Reino/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
SANTIAGO BERNABéU, MADRID, SPAIN - 2018/10/20: Julen Lopetegui (Real Madrid) seen before the La Liga match between Real Madrid and Levante UD at Estadio Santiago Bernabéu.( Final score: Real Madrid 1:2 Levante). (Photo by Manu Reino/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Real Madrid have released an official statement on Monday evening announcing the sacking of first team coach Julen Lopetegui after a series of horrible results.

Real Madrid C.F. announced on Monday evening that the Board of Directors had made a decision of relieving Julen Lopetegui and his technical and coaching team of their duties, following a thumping defeat in El Clasico by a 5-1 margin to arch rivals F.C. Barcelona. The 52-year-old vacates his position just a little more than four months since taking over at the helm.

In a statement released by the club, they have announced that former Real Madrid player and current Real Madrid Castilla coach Santiago Solari will be the interim manager of the first team, provisionally taking charge from Tuesday until a new coach is appointed. Antonio Conte is a centre of negotiations, as per reports.

The European champions released an extremely candid announcement through which they stated that there needed to be a dynamic change in the functionality of things, keeping in mind that every objective of the club was still very much within reach. Moreover, with as many as 8 players nominated for the Ballon d’Or from the Madrid squad, the club’s officials felt that there was a massive disproportion in the team’s quality and the results that were being delivered over the last two months.

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In their last seven matches across all competitions, Real Madrid lost five matches, four of which were in La Liga Santander, drew once and picked up a rather unconvincing victory over Viktoria Plzen by a 2-1 margin in the Champions League. Lopetegui’s sacking was inevitable after a string of dismal results and the Whites have begun their search for a new coach.

Antonio Conte is obviously the prime name to take charge of the club. He has been unemployed since being released by Chelsea back in July. However, the contract negotiations between Real Madrid and the manager have come at a standstill due to an ongoing case between Conte and his former employer, Chelsea. The Blues owe him a compensation of a reported 9 million pounds, which Conte fears he might not receive should he take up the hot seat.

In addition to the Italian, Belgium boss Roberto Martinez has also been shortlisted as a candidate. The Real Madrid hierarchy believes that the former Everton manager’s fluid attacking style will suit them well. However, with Conte’s experience and expertise in not one, but two countries- England and Italy- make him the first choice to take up the role up for grabs in the Spanish capital.