Report: Julen Lopetegui to Be Sacked by Real Madrid, Antonio Conte to Replace

Real Madrid manager Julen Lopetegui will reportedly be sacked Monday following the club's 5-1 humbling at the hands of Barcelona in El Clasico.

According to Tiempo de Juego (h/t Spanish football expert Guillem Balague), former Chelsea boss Antonio Conte is in line to succeed Lopetegui, who was only appointed at the Santiago Bernabeu back in June:

Per Jose Felix Diaz of Marca, Conte is free to take over in Madrid having resolved his contract dispute with the Blues, but Castilla coach Santiago Solari could still be required to act as caretaker manager for Real's Wednesday clash with Melilla in the Copa del Rey.

Lopetegui, 52, took over Real in controversial circumstances.

He was announced as Zinedine Zidane's successor while still in charge of Spain and was subsequently sacked from the national team role two days before the start of the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

It meant he started his Real tenure under enormous pressure, which he has seemingly been unable to handle.

If Lopetegui does depart Monday, he will leave Real sitting ninth in La Liga after claiming 14 points from 10 games.

That is despite them opening the new season with four wins and a draw in the Spanish top flight.

Real have won just one of their last seven in all competitions and set an unwanted record in the process:

Sevilla, CSKA Moscow, Alaves and Levante have all got the better of the European champions since the end of September.

Sunday's drubbing at the hands of their biggest rivals looks to have been the final straw.

Barca were without Lionel Messi at the Camp Nou, but a Luis Suarez hat-trick and goals from Philippe Coutinho and Arturo Vidal saw Real put to the sword. Marcelo got the visitors' only goal.