Piqué after 5-1 Clásico win: "Today is Lopetegui's last day as Real Madrid coach..."
Gerard Piqué told Rakuten CEO that Julen Lopetegui had already said his goodbyes to the Real Madrid squad after the team's 5-1 defeat to Barça.
The Week 10 meeting at Camp Nou was Julen Lopetegui's last game in charge at Real Madrid and Gerard Piqué knew before the media that the coach was on his way out. Piqué told Rakuten CEO Hiroshi Mikitani of Lopetegui's fate immediately after Barcelona's 5-1 win in last season's Clásico. "I think he's a good coach, but I think today is the last day of him as the coach of Real Madrid, " the Barça defender said. "The players of Madrid already told me that he said goodbye after the game - to the players. So maybe they already told him that he is out. I don't know..."
Lopetegui sacked
Piqué was proved right as Lopetegui was handed his marching orders the following day and Santiago Solari appointed as his replacement.