Last updated on .From the section European Football Real Madrid took 14 out of 30 points in the league under Julen Lopetegui Real Madrid have sacked Julen Lopetegui as manager after four and a half months in charge at the Bernabeu. The Spaniard succeeded Zinedine Zidane in June but the crushing 5-1 El Clasico defeat by Barcelona on Sunday was their fifth loss in six games. Real, Champions League winners for the past three years, are ninth in La Liga after their worst start since 2001-02. The 52-year-old will be "provisionally replaced" by ex-player Santiago Solari, coach of B team Castilla. Lopetegui took a training session on Monday but his fate was confirmed following a board meeting. A club statement said "there is a great disproportion between the quality of the staff of Real Madrid" and "the results obtained to date". Eight of the current Real squad are on the 30-man shortlist for the 2018 Ballon d'Or. Solari has a favourable run of fixtures for the start of his tenure, beginning with a Spanish Cup match against Segunda Division B Group 4 side Melilla on Wednesday. Real then play Valladolid - sixth in La Liga - on Saturday, Group G's bottom side Viktoria Plzen in the Champions League on 7 November, and the mid-table Celta Vigo the following Sunday. It is the second time Lopetegui has been sacked this year having been dismissed by Spain two days before the World Cup. That sacking came after it emerged the Spanish football federation was unaware he was in talks to take the Real job after the tournament. Real have 14 out of a possible 30 points in the league this season and have taken only one from their past five matches - their worst run since they went pointless in the final five games of 2008-09 under Juande Ramos. They are now six points above the Spanish top flight's relegation places, and seven behind leaders Barcelona. Real problems in Madrid Lost four and drawn one of their past five games Seven points behind La Liga leaders Barcelona after El Clasico - with a goal difference of zero Lost at CSKA Moscow in Champions League, and narrowly beat struggling Viktoria Plzen Who next in the Real hotseat? The favourite to replace Lopetegui in recent weeks had been former Chelsea boss Antonio Conte, who has been out of management since being dismissed by the Blues in July after finishing fifth last season. But negotiations with the Italian are reported to have stalled external-link and 42-year-old Solari has been given an opportunity, mirroring the appointment of former boss Zidane, another popular ex-player who had been in charge of Castilla. Zidane took charge after Rafael Benitez was sacked in January 2016 and the Frenchman guided Real to three successive Champions League titles, before stepping down in May. Former Real and Argentina midfielder Solari replaced Zidane as coach of Castilla, who are fifth in Segunda Division B, three points behind leaders Ponferradina. Under Spanish regulations, an interim coach can be at the helm for a fortnight - but must be appointed officially after 15 days, or not at all. Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho - who won La Liga and the Copa del Rey during his three years at Real from 2010-13 - and former Everton boss Roberto Martinez, who led Belgium to the World Cup semi-finals, have also been linked with the post. Analysis Spanish football expert Guillem Balague on BBC Radio 5 live "Antonio Conte is asking for so much. He is asking for two and a half years, asking to be a manager, asking for more money than Real Madrid are willing to pay. They are surprised this has not gone smoother. On Sunday, they were very optimistic Conte would replace Lopetegui. "Florentino Perez always asks the leaders of the dressing room about managerial decisions. When he got rid of Rafael Benitez, he asked Cristiano Ronaldo and Sergio Ramos. He has asked Sergio Ramos this time and he doesn't like the idea of Conte. "Fans will be underwhelmed for sure. Solari hasn't impressed in the league, but what the fans don't realise is every year he has been given a bunch of kids in the third tier, which is all about adults and being strong mentally and physically - and his players have not been. "But about 12 players from his team in the past two seasons now play in the first or second divisions. That means he is a good coach. "There is a lot of hope for him, but everyone feels it is a little bit too early - even the board."<doc-sep>Real Madrid have sacked Julen Lopetegui as their head coach following their 5-1 humiliation at Barcelona, sparking immediate speculation that the club will launch a fresh bid to lure Maurico Pochettino to the Santiago Bernabeu. Talks have been held with Antonio Conte as Lopetegui's long-term replacement but the chances of him arriving have reportedly been hampered by the Italian's legal dispute to settle with his former club Chelsea. Belgium coach Roberto Martinez has also been linked with the job, but president Florentino Perez would prefer the Tottenham manager as an eventual solution. Lopetegui's sacking comes in the same week that Pochettino said he has reached his lowest point in nearly five years as Tottenham Hotspur manager. Santiago Solari, the manager of Madrid’s B team, has been installed in temporary charge of the first team for at least a month. Lopetegui was presented as Real Madrid's new manager on June 14 after Spain sacked him on the eve of the World Cup because they were unhappy at the way he had negotiated the move while under contract with the national side. He was in tears as he described it as the "happiest day" of his life when presented at the Santiago Bernabeu, but he lasted just 14 games, winning six matches. The 52-year-old leaves with the team in ninth place in La Liga.<doc-sep>Story highlights Lopetegui leave Madrid after two months Los Blancos have won one of past seven games (CNN) Real Madrid has sacked coach Julen Lopetegui after just two months in charge with the side ninth in La Liga following a humiliating defeat to Barcelona. The 5-1 El Clasico defeat at Camp Nou Sunday proved the final straw for Lopetegui, who was dismissed from his position as Spain coach on the eve of the World Cup after agreeing to take charge of Real for the start of the 2018/2019 season. An official club statement thanked Lopetegui for his efforts but said the decision "aims to change the dynamics of the first team, when all the objectives of this season are still achievable." Santiago Solari, the Real Madrid B coach, will take over on an interim basis. The club gave no indication of who they would appoint permanently. Under Lopetegui, Los Blancos has won just four out of 10 league games and suffered a Champions League defeat to CSKA Moscow.<doc-sep>ESPN take a look back at Julen Lopetegui's torrid reign at Real Madrid that saw him last less than six months at the club. (2:16) Real Madrid have sacked Julen Lopetegui after just four months in charge, with the ex-Spain coach paying the price following Sunday's 5-1 humiliation against Barcelona in El Clasico. Lopetegui, 52, was announced as Madrid coach just before the start of the World Cup in June, with Spanish federation president Luis Rubiales reacting by immediately sacking him. His first game in charge of Madrid was a 4-2 defeat to neighbours Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Super Cup. Lopetegui lasted just 14 matches in total, with six wins, two draws and six defeats. Former player and Castilla reserve team boss Santiago Solari has been put in caretaker charge, the club said. A club statement read: "Real Madrid's board met today on 29 Oct 2018 and has agreed to end the contract linking coach Julen Lopetegui with the club. This decision has been taken to change the dynamic in which the first team finds itself, when all the objectives for the season are still achievable. "The board understands that there is a big difference between the quality of Real Madrid's squad, which has eight players nominated for the next Ballon D'Or, something without precedent in the history of the club, and the results obtained to date. The club thanks Julen Lopetegui and all his staff for their effort and the work done, and wishes them all the best in their professional careers." In a statement to Spanish news agency EFE, Lopetegui said: "After the decision adopted by the board of directors of Real Madrid today, I want to thank the club for the opportunity that gave me to coach the team. "Thanks to the players for their effort and their work, as well as to each and every one of the club's employees, for the great treatment during my time with the club. And, of course, my gratitude to the fans for their encouragement. Best wishes for the remainder of the season." Sunday's embarrassing defeat to Barcelona was the end for Lopetegui following a run of dire form, including a 3-0 La Liga reverse at Sevilla, a 1-0 loss at CSKA Moscow in the Champions League and a 2-1 defeat at home to Levante in La Liga. Lopetegui took Madrid training behind closed doors on Monday amid strong rumours he would be sacked and Madrid then confirmed his departure later that day. Lopetegui's Real Madrid Timeline June 12 - Accepts an offer to replace Zinedine Zidane as Real Madrid coach after the World Cup, only to be sent home from Russia by Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales just two days before La Roja's opening game. June 14 - Presented as Real Madrid coach by Florentino Perez and says: "Yesterday was the saddest day of my life, since the death of my mother, but this is the happiest day." July 18 - Not involved in the decision making as Madrid's all-time record goalscorer Cristiano Ronaldo is sold to Juventus for €100m, with a plea late in the window for a replacement forward met with the signing of former reserve Mariano Diaz from Lyon. Aug. 15 - Loses first official game as Madrid coach 4-2 to neighbours Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Super Cup. Oct. 20 - Watches his team go past the eight-hour mark without scoring a goal, with Marcelo's strike in the second half not enough to stop a 2-1 home defeat to Levante, which is followed by ringing whistles around the Bernabeu. Oct. 28 - Says the season can still be turned around despite a 5-1 Clasico defeat at Barcelona that leaves Madrid with one point from five La Liga games. Speaking after the 5-1 loss at Camp Nou, Sergio Ramos said: "Results determine a lot whether a coach stays. But it is not our decision, it comes from above. We have heard nothing. So we will let the hours pass, and what must happen will happen." After winning the Champions League trophy in four of the past five seasons, Madrid lost Ronaldo in July and Zidane stepped down as coach, suggesting as he left that the squad needed a big shake-up. With president Florentino Perez saving money ahead of a €400 million-plus stadium renovation project, and reported transfer targets Neymar and Kylian Mbappe staying at Paris Saint-Germain, Madrid did not sign a big-name replacement for Ronaldo. Instead, around €100m was invested in youngsters, including Vinicius Jr., 18, from Brazil and Spain right-back Alvaro Odriozola. Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who joined from Chelsea, was the main first-team arrival. As a player, Lopetegui was a goalkeeper who had spells as a back-up at both Madrid and Barcelona, and he also played for Rayo Vallecano and Logrones. He began his coaching career at Rayo, moved to the Castilla team then coached Spain's under-19s, U20s and U21s. He spent 18 months at Porto before leading the Spain national team through qualification for the 2018 World Cup.<doc-sep>
Lopetegui took over the coveted but equally unforgiving Real job in June, following the departure of three-time Champions League winner Zinedine Zidane. JOHANNESBURG – It has been among football's topics of discussion for a number of days and on Monday, it was confirmed - Real Madrid had had enough of Julen Lopetegui and fired him just four months into his tenure. Lopetegui took over the coveted but equally unforgiving Real job in June, following the departure of three-time Champions League winner Zinedine Zidane. His take over of the Real position was also not without its own drama with the 51-year-old Spaniard's appointment made public just a couple of days before the start of the 2018 Fifa World Cup, where he was to lead the 2010 champions Spain. The Spanish Football Association refused to associate itself with a man who could not inform them accordingly of his decision to leave the national team for Real, and so, they showed him the door just two days before the Russian World Cup was to begin. Lopetegui's stint with Los Blancos didn't start glamourously as he lost the Uefa Super Cup to city rivals Atletico Madrid. His first official loss. For his next 14 games after the season's curtain-raiser, Lopetegui would only manage six wins, two draws and suffered six losses. Among those defeats was Sunday's humiliation at the hands of rivals Barçelona, there they were hammered 5-1 in El Clásico. That beating would prove to be the last straw to break the camel's back. Real Madrid find themselves in ninth place on La Liga, six points above the relegation zone and an unflattering seven points behind log leaders Barça. They've taken just 14 points from possible 30 in the league, which is their worst start in 17 years. Real's B team manager Santiago Solari has been handed the reins temporarily as club president Florentino Perez goes in search of a man to resuscitate the European champions. Former Juventus, Italy and Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has been heavily linked with the job, but an appointment of someone is expected in the coming days.