Lopetegui has just paid the
price for his ambition and hubris - fired after a 139-day spell of humiliation
at Real Madrid, right after being fired from the Spain national team. He cost
Spain a World Cup as he risked everything in a bid to fulfill his 15-year old
dream of coaching Real Madrid. Lopetegui was controversially hired by Real
Madrid just before the start of the World Cup, without Lopetegui conferring
with his then employer - the Spanish Football Federation. He was fired as
Spain's national team manager at the eve of the World Cup in Russia.
Alas, Julen Lopetegui was sacked
on Monday as Real Madrid issued an abrupt statement confirming Lopetegui's
long-anticipated dismissal following Los Blancos' 5-1 humiliation by Barcelona
on Sunday - during the first Clasico of the season.
The statement released by Real
Madrid on Monday night read: “The
Board of Directors of Real Madrid CF, meeting today October 29, 2018, has
agreed to terminate the contract that linked manager Julen Lopetegui with the
club.
“This
decision, adopted from the highest level of responsibility, aims to change the
dynamics of the first team, when all the objectives of this season are still
achievable.
“The
Board of Directors understands that there is a great disproportion between the
quality of the staff of Real Madrid, which has 8 players nominated for the next
Golden Ball, something unprecedented in the history of the club, and the
results obtained to date.
“The
club thanks Julen Lopetegui and all his technical team for their effort and work
and wishes them the best in their professional career.
“It
will be provisionally replaced by Santiago Solari, who will lead the first team
starting tomorrow, Tuesday.”
The 52-year-old manager had a
pretty brief stay with Real Madrid; 2 months in which he won 6 games lost 6.
The reigning European champion are ninth in La Liga and rivals Barcelona,
first. Under Lopetegui, Real Madrid suffered a Champions League defeat to CSKA
Moscow, and won just four out of 10 league games.
Real Madrid have suffered a goal
drought with Ronaldo's departure to Juventus in August and the club has failed
to provide suitable replacement. In a recent interview with France Football,
Ronaldo revealed the real trigger that prompted his departure from Real Madrid.
Referring to club president
Florentino Perez, Ronaldo told France Football, “He only ever looked at me as a business relationship.
“I
know it. What he told me never came from the heart.
“I
felt it inside the club, especially from the president, that they no longer
considered me the same way that they did in the start," he said. "In
the first four or five years there, I had the feeling of being 'Cristiano
Ronaldo.' Less afterwards.
“The
president looked at me through eyes that didn't want to say the same thing, as
if I was no longer indispensable to them, if you know what I mean." Ronaldo
said money wasn't a motivating factor in his decision to leave Los Blancos.
“If
it had all been about money, I'd have moved to China, where I would have earned
five times as much than here [at Juventus] or at Real,” said Ronaldo.
“I
did not come to Juve for the money. I earned the same in Madrid, if not more.
The difference is that, at Juve, they really wanted me. They told me that and
made it clear. They showed me that.”
Real Madrid will go against
Viktoria Plzen in their next Champions League fixture under interim manager
Santiago Solari. Former Chelsea boss Antonio Conte is poised to take over as
Real Madrid manager.
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