Real Madrid Fires Manager Julen Lopetegui
After just a few months with the Real Madrid, Julen Lopetegui has been fired as manager, the team announced Monday.
The past month has been a struggle for Real, but Sunday's 5-1 loss to rival Barcelona proved to be the final straw for Lopetegui.
Counting Sept. 26 when Real Madrid fell to Sevilla 3-0, the squad has been just 1-5-1 in La Liga and Champions League competition.
With Lopetegui on the way out, Real Madrid Castilla coach Santigo Solari will come in as the interim coach to guide the team as it looks to find a more permanent option. Former Juventus and Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has widely been reported to be the next long-term option for the club, though other reports claim that negotiations have hit a snag. Solari will remain at the helm as the search continues.
Lopetegui was hired by Real Madrid in somewhat controversial fashion, with his agreement announced just before the start of the World Cup. He hadn't conferred with the Spanish federation during the process, and he was fired as Spain's national team manager on the eve of the competition in Russia. Spain, under caretaker Fernando Hierro, was ousted by host Russia on penalties in the round of 16.
With Lopetegui at the helm, Real Madrid currently sits at ninth in La Liga's table with its next league game coming on Nov. 3 against Real Valladolid. Prior to that match Real Madrid will face Melilla on Oct. 31 in a Spanish Copa del Rey match, and on Nov. 7 it will go against Viktoria Plzen in the Champions League.
