Antonio Conte Reportedly Still in the Running for Real Madrid's Manager Role

Antonio Conte reportedly remains in contention to take over as Real Madrid manager after speculation the club were set to look elsewhere.

Conte did appear to be the favourite to replace Julen Lopetegui, who was sacked on Monday following a 5-1 loss to Barcelona in El Clasico on Sunday. But according to Ed Malyon of The Independent, a number of key players were unhappy at the prospect of the Italian taking over and he fell down the pecking order.

However, according to AS, Conte is still in the frame to take over the position, which has been temporarily handed to Santiago Solari:

"[...] AS sources [have] indicated that the former Chelsea and Juventus boss is still an option. More than that, he is the only alternative currently in the reckoning for the club, although the potential of interim coach Solari keeping control if he gets an immediate positive response from the players is also being considered."

AS added that one other potential issue regarding the appointment would be a dispute Conte has with Chelsea, as the coach is making a claim for €10 million (£9 million) from the club. If he was to join Madrid, that case would reportedly be affected.

The Italian is also said to be after a long-term contract, while Madrid president Florentino Perez would reportedly prefer to bring someone in on a shorter deal.

Dermot Corrigan of ESPN FC relayed an earlier story from AS in which it was said interest in Conte had cooled:

Per AS, Madrid captain Sergio Ramos spoke about what the team needs from its next manager after the Clasico.

"I've always said: respect is earned, it is not imposed," he said. "[...] In the end, the management of the dressing room is more important than the technical knowledge of a manager."

Miguel Delaney of The Independent said that Ramos will likely have a big say on the next coach, and that may be a worry for Real:

In addition to Solari and Conte, Belgium manager Roberto Martinez is also said to be in contention. According to Pete Jenson and Dominic King of the Daily Mail, he is the leading contender to take the job on a permanent basis at this stage.

In terms of club football, Conte has a pedigree that outstrips his reported rivals for the position. At Chelsea, he won the Premier League and the FA Cup in his two seasons in charge, and at Juventus, he won Serie A three times.

Madrid are languishing down in ninth in the Spanish top flight, having lost four of their 10 games so far in La Liga. If they still want to make something of this season, then a coach of Conte's renown and enthusiasm may well be the way to go.