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What Lopetegui Did In The Camp Nou Changing Room After Barca Loss Proves He Knew his Fate

What Lopetegui Did In The Camp Nou Changing Room After Barca Loss Proves He Knew his Fate

He's been relieved of his duties.

Josh Lawless

Josh Lawless

Julen Lopetegui knew his days as Real Madrid manager were numbered following the 5-1 drubbing dished out by Barcelona in Sunday's El Clasico.

After an utterly dreadful start to life at the Bernabeu, the 13-time European champions lie in ninth place in La Liga, seven points behind leaders Barcelona with ten games played.

Even without talisman Lionel Messi at the Nou Camp, Real were destroyed by Ernesto Valverde's side in one of the most one-sided fixtures between Spanish football's two titans.

The game could proved to be the final straw for Lopetegui, who reportedly said his goodbyes to his players in the dressing room at the Nou Camp.

Multiple outlets in Spain say the former Spain bid farewell to the group and they thought it would be the last they saw of him.

However, as per MARCA, they were surprised to see him take charge of training at Valdebebas today.

It's noted that were "evident tensions" during, before and after the training session and many Los Blancos players expected Santiago Solari to be leading training.

Image: PA
Image: PA

However, after a meeting between the board of directors on Monday evening, Los Blancos did then make the decision to sack the former Spain manager and draft in his temporary replacement.

Solari, who joined as a player from rivals Atletico in 2000 and went on to win the Champions League and two La Liga titles, had been working as the club's Castilla manager.

Meanwhile, Lopetegui's father has pinned the team's dire displays on the big-money departure of Cristiano Ronaldo to Juventus in the summer, defending his son and saying the club have "stolen 50 goals" from him through not signing an adequate replacement.

Image: PA
Image: PA

"Cristiano Ronaldo was good. Was he cocky? We all have defects, but it turns out he scored 50 goals a season," Jose Antonio told El Mundo, as per the Daily Mail.

"He is missing. You are missing a prominent goalscorer. They haven't bought one, not a single one.

"There was talk of Neymar and others, but no one came. They have stolen 50 goals from my son!"

Featured Image Credit:

Topics: Football News, Football, Julen Lopetegui, Real Madrid

Josh is a writer who specialises in football and wrestling. He has been published by Curzon Ashton FC, Late Tackle, Manchester City FC, The Mirror, Read Man City and Manchester Evening News. He provides coverage of professional wrestling and has interviewed some of the biggest names in the field - including the first UK interview with The Hardy Boyz after their return to WWE. He has never sported a pair of Lonsdale Slip-ons, contrary to reports.

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