3 possible replacements for Julen Lopetegui

Modified Oct 23, 2018 11:29 GMT

Four losses in five games. Three of the defeats have come against CSKA Moscow, Alaves and Levante. As historically proven, Florentino Perez won't neglect the fact that the team which won 3 UEFA Champions Leagues in a row are falling down into an abyss.

Although there are several reasons like injuries, inactivity at the transfer market and lack of a proper number 9 in the team, the coach will be an early scapegoat for the team's failures. The chaotic and cruel environment at Real Madrid can change dreams into dust in a matter of moments and there's no doubt it's the same with Julen Lopetegui.

Unless the team performs a phenomenal turnaround in the upcoming games which includes the Clasico, it is almost certain that Lopetegui will find himself out of his current job. Every match would be a final from here on.

Let us quickly evaluate three possible coaches who can replace Lopetegui at the helm of Real Madrid.

#3. Santiago Solari

Santiago Solari is the main candidate to replace Julen Lopetegui at the moment. He is now the coach of Real Madrid Castilla who are second in Group 1 of Segunda Division B. His team is doing relatively well compared to the senior Real Madrid side.

Moreover, Solari is an ex-Real Madrid player who knows how the cruel surroundings of Santiago Bernabeu work. His knowledge regarding the club matters can be influential and Florentino Perez would be banking on him if he decides to sack Lopetegui.

The situation is almost akin to when Zinedine Zidane took charge in 2016 from Rafael Benitez. Although Santiago Solari not as big a name as renowned tacticians like Antonio Conte, he could be the coach till June.

#2 Guti

Another name that is doing the rounds is Guti, who is a former Real Madrid player himself like Santiago Solari and Zinedine Zidane. He is emerging as another front-runner if Real Madrid board decides to sack Julen Lopetegui.

With an all-important clash vs FC Barcelona lurking around the corner and La Liga crown slipping away, Florentino Perez and the board have lost their confidence in Lopetegui and they must seek his replacement as soon as possible.

Guti is also an ex Real Madrid youth coach who is currently working with Besiktas as an assistant manager. He knows the club well and is also hugely popular with the fans.

Like Zinedine Zidane, Guti is inexperienced as a coach but Zidane's success in a short time with Real Madrid could propel the board to view Guti as another similar and attractive alternative who can bring success to the team currently languishing 7th on La Liga table.

#3 Antonio Conte

There is no doubt over the fact that Antonio Conte is more experienced than any of the other front-runners lined up to replace Lopetegui. Numerous reports in Italy and Spain suggest that Florentino Perez has already held talks with Conte over replacing Lopetegui.

Antonio Conte is known for his shrewd tactics which led to success in his previous stints. He is also a strict disciplinarian who believes in hard work over anything else. His methods can be a boon for the young talents and push them towards greatness.

But despite being a master tactician, Conte's primary weakness is his man management skills - which is a high risk considering the egos in the Real Madrid dressing room.

Although there are names like Arsene Wenger also doing the rounds, it is highly unlikely that Real Madrid board would seek him out before the end of the season. And it is safe to say, no matter who ends up at the helm, they would face problems unless the current squad is upgraded in the upcoming transfer market.

Edited by Arvind Sriram