Lopetegui era to conclude with Antonio Conte primed as replacement
The former Chelsea manager could be in Madrid as early as Monday following the humiliation in Barcelona for under-pressure coach Julen Lopetegui.
Antonio Conte will be the next Real Madrid manager. The club have already made the decision to sack Julen Lopetegui, following the debacle at the Camp Nou on Sunday afternoon, and the Italian has been named as his successor. The announcement of Lopetegui's dismissal is expected on Monday afternoon after which Conte, who has been on alert while on holiday, in Egypt will be brought in.
Conte to replace Lopetegui
A couple of weeks ago, news of Conte taking over at the Santiago Bernabéu took over the front page of Italian paper, Corriere della Sera. The reports stated that the man who had been released from his role at Premier League side Chelsea in the summer, had been contacted by senior Madrid officials. With nothing being confirmed, news filtered out that he did not fit the profile of the desired candidate, if results didn't improve under the current man.
Not long after the initial stories had surfaced, AS reported that a second call to the Italian had been made.
More reading | Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos on Conte's tough approach:"Respect is won, not imposed"
A winner with a different style
Since leaving Stamford Bridge, where he led the Blues to a Premier League title and an FA Cup triumph, Conte has been available for work. Prior to his initial successes in that role, the Italian had taken Juventus to three Serie A titles.
His preferred style is 3-5-2 which contrasts with those that have filled the same post over several years.
| Classification | PTS | WM | TM | LM |
|---|
| Upcoming matches |
|---|