Real Madrid are ‘close to sacking Julen Lopetegui’ with reserve boss Santiago Solari and former Chelsea manager Antonio Conte eyed as replacements

REAL MADRID are reportedly “close” to sacking manager Julen Lopetegui.

And Los Blancos are believed to have already lined up his replacemenet – B team boss and former player Santiago Solari.

According to Sky Sources, the Spanish giants are poised to bring a premature end to Lopetegui’s tenure at the Bernabeu after only nine games of the La Liga season.

And Spanish newspaper are reporting Real Madrid Castilla boss and former player Solari is the man primed to take the hotseat.

Former Chelsea boss Antonio Conte is another on the shortlist, and he is joined by French gaffer Laurent Blanc.

Lopetegui took over in the summer after being sacked by Spain days before their World Cup campaign.

The 52-year-old angered national team bosses after Madrid revealed he had agreed to take over at the Bernabeu after the tournament in Russia.

It was a tournament he never got to manage in – and now less than three months into the job he could be out on his ear once again.

Fans loudly jeered after Madrid reached 481 minutes without finding the net in the 2-1 loss to Levante yesterday, the team began the game with the league’s third-worst defence.

Levante scored early with goals by Jose Luis Morales in the sixth minute and Roger in the 13th after a penalty awarded following a video review.

Marcelo pulled one back in the 72nd minute.

Madrid began the match without Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema, who are coming off injuries.

Lopetegui’s side still created enough chances, striking the woodwork three times and having a goal by Mariano Diaz disallowed for offside in the final minutes.

Marco Asensio also had a first-half goal disallowed by VAR.

Los Blancos finished with 70 per cent possession and more than 30 attempts in a devastating defeat.

Local media immediately questioned whether Madrid should fire Lopetegui before the El Clasico next weekend at Barcelona or give him a chance to try to save his job against the rival.

Speaking after the game, Lopetegui said: “Football matches are won by scoring goals and not according to who deserves to win.”

Before El Clasico, Madrid hosts Viktoria Plzen on Tuesday in the Champions League to try to rebound from a 1-0 loss at CSKA Moscow.

And against great rivals Barca, one of Real Madrid’s top young talents will be banned.

Vinicius Junior scored a spectacular free-kick to rescue a draw for Solari’s Castilla – but was sent off just three minutes later.

Having already been booked earlier in the second half as tempers flared, Vinicius went down in an attempt to con the referee.

He was shown a second yellow for his troubles which means he’s suspended for at least one match.

But there is a bigger loss to the La Liga crunch clash – Lionel Messi will miss the game after fracturing his arm.

The Argentine lasted only 23 minutes of Barcelona’s clash against Seville before leaving the pitch injured.

And the Catalan giants later confirmed the bad news that he suffered a bone fracture and will be on the sidelines for three weeks.