Julen Lopetegui has been sacked as Real Madrid head coach after a poor run of results in LaLiga, which has resulted in the European Champion falling to 9th position on the table.
The former Spain coach struggled to weave any magic at the Bernabeu. Ronaldo's departure, and not buying a proper replacement did hurt Real Madrid, but still they have 8 Ballon d'Or nominees in the team, and they were expected to do better.
The European champions announced that Santiago Solari would be temporarily responsible for the training, and will work as the interim manager.
#1 Antonio Conte
Antonio Conte is the most prominent candidate for Real Madrid. He is a tactical genius, and he could truly solve Madrid's defensive problems. He is a high profile manager having experience of managing top teams like Juventus and Chelsea. He also has experience of managing the Italian national football team.
He led the Italian giants Juventus to three league titles. His first season at Chelsea saw him winning the English Premier League in a convincing and dominant manner.
Conte has been out of action since leaving Chelsea at the end of last season. If given freedom to operate, he could really fix Madrid's dressing room issues and bind the team together, bringing out good results.
#2 Mauricio Pochettino
Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino is another name linked repeatedly to the possibility of managing Real Madrid. When Zidane left in May, he was among the most prominent candidates to take over the responsibility.
Mauricio Pochettino is a highly regarded coach for developing and nurturing young talents, and he has done wonders at Spurs, and built a competitive squad from a very low budget. He is a respected manager.
The former Espanyol coach has confirmed that he will never coach Barcelona during his career, which has revived the hopes of some Real Madrid fans, but there is a problem, as it will be difficult for Tottenham to give up its Argentine coach, especially since he just signed a new contract.
#3 Guti
José María Gutiérrez Hernández, known as Guti among fans, is a Spanish retired footballer who played as an attacking midfielder for Real Madrid. Barring the 2010-11 season, he spent his entire career at Real Madrid. He is highly respected among the Bernabeu faithful, and could turn out to be a wonderful coach.
He is one of the favorites to succeed Lopetegui as the permanent manager of Real Madrid. He understands the system, and knows how the club is run from inside. He has experience of coaching Real Madrid's youth team for five years, from 2013 to 2018. Currently he is working as the assistant coach of Besiktas.
#4 Santiago Solari
If Santiago Solari, current interim coach of Real Madrid can bring out good results, he may well be appointed as the permanent manager of Real Madrid.
Solari started working as a manager in 2013, first being in charge of Real Madrid's youths. Ahead of the 2016–17 season, he was appointed the manager of Real Madrid's Castilla, Madrid's reserves team which plays in Segunda División. The team finished a low 11th, and 8th during his two completed seasons in charge.