'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Julen Lopetegui has been sacked just a few months into his new job as Real Madrid's coach. The club has not been performing well domestically and in Europe. The most recent 5-1 thrashing at Camp Nou in the El Clasico was probably the stimulus which led to his sacking. Perhaps, Lopetegui was not the right candidate to serve Real Madrid from the very start.
Things went wrong for Lopetegui when Los Blancos announced that the Spaniard will replace Zinedine Zidane after his World Cup duties. The Spanish FA did not like such an abrupt announcement and plan, as such, they sacked Lopetegui just two days before the World Cup competition was due to begin.
Now, Real Madrid too has decided to end the club's relationship with the 52-year-old after five consecutive winless games in Spain. In Europe, even though the UEFA Champions League winners did overcome Roma and Plzen, they suffered a shocking defeat to CSKA Moscow. Managing such a big club like Real Madrid was probably tougher than managing the national team even though Lopetegui knew many of the players beforehand.
There are rumours that the LaLiga club could bring in Antonio Conte, who is available after Chelsea parted ways with him in the summer. Others point towards equally suitable candidates such as Arsene Wenger and Mauricio Pochettino. Now sitting in ninth position in the league table, the club is seven points behind leaders Barcelona. Should they want to challenge for the domestic title, the club needs to appoint someone experienced at such a high level of football in the long run.
The interim manager, Santiago Solari, is to take over the management role at least until further notice. The 42-year-old was once a player of the club, but he does not have much experience managing the first team. Here is how fans reacted to the news of his sacking on Twitter.
