Julen Lopetegui sacked: Real Madrid axe coach after El Clasico defeat at Barcelona

Real Madrid have sacked coach Julen Lopetegui, the club have announced.

The 52-year-old was appointed as a successor to Zinedine Zidane after the Frenchman stepped down late in May, but the timing of the announcement upset the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) and saw the Basque lose his job as coach of La Roja on the eve of the World Cup.

He flew back from Russia and was officially unveiled at the Santiago Bernabeu on June 14, but has lasted little over four months following a disappointing run of results.

Victory over Viktoria Plzen on Tuesday ensured that Lopetegui would be in the dugout for Sunday's El Clasico match with Barcelona.

But that match, a humiliating 5-1 defeat at Camp Nou, would be his final game in the Real Madrid hotseat. It was a fifth defeat in their last seven matches, and it saw Real Madrid president Florentino Perez finally wield the axe.

Lopetegui leaves Real Madrid without a trophy to his name, having lost the Uefa Super Cup to Atletico in his first official game in charge back in August.

A statement released by Real Madrid read: "The Board of Directors of Real Madrid C. F., after a meeting today October 29, 2018, has agreed to terminate the contract that linked coach Julen Lopetegui with the club.

"This decision, adopted from the highest level of responsibility, aims to change the dynamics of the first team, when all the objectives of this season are still achievable.

"The Board of Directors understands that there is a great disproportion between the quality of the staff of Real Madrid, which has eight players nominated for the next Ballon d’Or, something unprecedented in the history of the club, and the results obtained to date.

"The club thanks Julen Lopetegui and his entire technical team for their effort and work and wishes them the best in their professional career.

"He will be provisionally replaced by Santiago Solari, who will lead the first team starting tomorrow, Tuesday."