5 reasons why Real Madrid are struggling

#3 Lopetegui's tactics/choices have not been on the money

Lopetegui looks like a dead man walking

One of the worst takes in football has been that Zidane and Pep Guardiola were simply "lucky" during their all-conquering spells at Real Madrid and FC Barcelona. The Frenchman's wise use of his squad was an understated reason why Real won three UEFA Champions League titles in 3 seasons.

This is something that Lopetegui has failed to do. Shorn of Real's greatest goal scorer after Ronaldo's move to Juventus, a rejigging of the team was needed. Despite his poor displays, Karin Benzema has continued to enjoy the lion share of game time with little in terms of delivery. Given the underperformance of star players, it's amazing that players like Ceballos and Mariano Diaz have not been given more game time.

His insistence on playing a slow passing game despite the absence of genuine pace in attack (minus Gareth Bale) has also been baffling. With little movement by the front line to get in behind the opposition's defence, the midfield has had little to aim at. This has meant that Real have been easy to defend against as opposition isn't worried about leaving gaps behind.

With Florentino Perez's proclivity for sacking managers, only a miracle could see Lopetegui retain his job. Given the circumstances behind his sacking from the Spain job, this would be a bitter pill to swallow.