Julen's sacking looms

Julen Lopetegui's brief and inglorious reign as Real Madrid coach could come to an end on Monday with the defending European champions tipped to appoint Antonio Conte as his replacement.

Madrid were thrashed 5-1 by great rivals Barcelona on Sunday as Luis Suarez scored a hattrick, surely sealing Lopetegui's fate.

According to Spanish media, Real directors are set to meet later on Monday afternoon, when Lopetegui's sacking could be confirmed.

He was named coach only 139 days ago, with his decision to accept the post costing him the chance to lead Spain at the World Cup.

But Madrid's dreadful recent run showed no sign of abating at the Camp Nou. They have now managed one win in their last seven matches, sit ninth in La Liga and earlier this month went more than eight hours without a goal.

Sports daily AS called the defeat a "lethal rout" on its front page on Monday, and it is a far cry from Sergio Ramos hoisting a third consecutive Champions League trophy in May.

After Sunday's game, Ramos pointedly stated that managing the dressing room at Real is more important than technical knowledge. Some now believe, perhaps club president Florentino Perez included, that the team needs a firmer hand.

Zinedine Zidane and Lopetegui have both been keen to afford freedom to the players while Conte is seen as a demanding coach, meticulous in his tactical preparation and unrelenting when it comes to defensive organisation.

"I've always had a good relationship with all the coaches," Ramos said. "Respect is earned, it isn't imposed. Those are the coaches with whom we've won titles. Managing the dressing room is more important than the knowledge of a coach."

The finger of blame is not only being pointed at Lopetegui, with Perez also being criticised for his failure to sign a replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo after the Portuguese superstar departed for Juventus.

Conte is available after being sacked by Chelsea in July. He had led them to the Premier League title in 2017 in his first season, when a switch to a three-man defence was hailed as a brilliant, and decisive, strategic move.

But they finished fifth in his second year, when the Italian grew increasingly agitated and fractious. He criticised the club's transfer policy and fell out with Diego Costa, who was eventually sold to Atletico Madrid.