Is Lopetegui in danger of being fired?
'Real Madrid have not scored in any of their past four fixtures and are without a win since a 1-0 victory over Espanyol on September 22nd . Julen Lopetegui knows he has to change that dynamic – and quickly. Some reports claimed that Florentino Perez f was ready to pull the trigger; that he would use the international break to sack Lopetegui and bring in a new coach. But that period is now over – and the Basque is still there. And there is still everything to play for.'
Why does Perez hesitate?
'Florentino does not want to sack Lopetegui at this point. The construction magnate demands the best from his coaches, but will wait until he believes Julen really is not the right man. And at the moment, the situation is still salvageable. In his first mandate as Madrid president, Perez ended up resigning in 2006 after a series of coaching changes. And in January 2015, he looked to be in a similar situation again after dispensing with both Carlo Ancelotti and then Rafa Benitez.'
How Benitez was sacked
'Benitez survived a 4-0 defeat to Barca in the Clasico, but the writing was on the wall from that moment on. And after a 2-2 draw at his old club Valencia in January 2016, the Spaniard was removed. In the very same press conference in which the decision was announced, Zidane was there in a snazzy jacket to meet the media. It was not in good taste, but it was ruthless and that is Real Madrid. Lopetegui knows that, too.'
Lopetegui is not Benitez
'One radio report in Spain earlier this season likened Lopetegui to Benitez. The comparison, however, is unfair and also inaccurate. Because Rafa never won the respect of the players at the Santiago Bernabeu, while Julen is looked up to by the majority of his squad – many of whom worked closely with him in the national team.'
