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MADRID (AP) – The search for a new coach at Real Madrid is launched.
After a demoralizing defeat against Barcelona and far from the top of the Spanish league standings, Madrid is looking for someone who can change things and save the season.
Former coach Santiago Solari, coach of team "B" Madrid, was in charge of training on Tuesday, but the club was in a hurry to find a replacement who could quickly put the team back on track.
Madrid sacked Julen Lopetegui on Monday, saying it was time to "change the dynamics of the team while all of its goals for the season were still achievable".
The club said its team deserved better results with the quality of its players. Under Lopetegui, Madrid won six games, lost six and drew. The team is ninth in the Spanish standings, seven points behind leader Barcelona after 10 matches.
The type of coach that Madrid was looking for was not yet clear, whether it was a hard-line like Antonio Conte or a more compromising personality like Roberto Martinez. The recent success of the team was won by Zinedine Zidane, a calm man, who left shortly after leading Madrid to three consecutive titles in the Champions League. Madrid can once again opt for the home solution, Solari having followed the same path as Zidane, his former teammate and also former coach of the "B" team of Madrid.
"In the end, managing a locker room is sometimes more important than the technical knowledge of a coach," said Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos after the defeat in Barcelona at Camp Nou.
Solari will be on the bench on Wednesday when Madrid will play third division Melilla in the Copa del Rey. The team then plays Saturday at home against Valladolid in the Spanish league.
Here is an overview of the best coaches considered as candidates in Madrid:
ANTONIO CONTE
Italian is presented by the Spanish media as the favorite.
He brings the experience of having coached Chelsea and Italy, but his authoritarian style may not be at the rendezvous with a team of Madrilenian full of determined veterans.
"Respect is something you win, not tax," said Ramos.
His arrival could also complicate Madrid's task at the signing of Belgian playmaker Eden Hazard, who disagreed with the Italian coach at Chelsea.
Another disadvantage is that Conté still has money to receive from Chelsea. It is therefore not easy to reach a financial agreement.
ROBERTO MARTINEZ
The Spaniard gained notoriety after leading Belgium to third place in the World Cup and many supported him over Conte because of his calmer attitude.
"It seems like it's a better option," said Jorge Valdano, a former coach and coach from Madrid who is now a TV commentator. "It's a coach who can help this team make a difference. It seems a better fit for Real Madrid. "
Martinez, 45, has no experience of a big club. His last work before conquering Belgium in 2016 was with Everton in England. In 2013, the former player had led Wigan for the England Cup title.
An agreement with Martinez is not easy either, because it remains under contract with Belgium for a few more months.
SANTIAGO SOLARI
Solari was announced as an interim coach but was not ruled out as a permanent candidate.
The 42-year-old former Argentine midfielder played for Real Madrid in the early 2000s and has been back in the club for quite some time.
He helped the team win the 2002 Champions League title by participating in the game that led to Zidane's superb win in the final.
Solari also played for River Plate, Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan.
He has been leading Real Madrid's "B" team since 2016, taking over shortly after Zidane's departure to coach the main team.
OTHER
Some other coaches are considered losers, but can not be totally excluded, including Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho, the former coach of Madrid against Manchester United.
Tottenham's manager Mauricio Pochettino was also considered a possible replacement for Lopetegui.
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