Real name Lopetegui as coach
Madrid giants spring a surprise by naming Spanish national team manager to take over from Zidane
MADRID : Spain coach Julen Lopetegui will take over as Real Madrid manager on a threeyear contract after the World Cup, the European champions said on Tuesday.
Frenchman Zinedine Zidane stepped down two weeks ago, days after leading Real to a third consecutive Champions League title with a 3-1 victory over Liverpool in Kiev.
Lopetegui, who last month signed a new contract through to 2020 with Spain, spent three years with Real as a player, making a solitary first team appearance against rivals Atletico Madrid in 1990.
The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) said in a statement that it would receive “the full buy-out clause so the current national team boss can sign for Real Madrid”.
“The RFEF asks for maximum respect in order that normality is kept in the national team’s training camp just ahead of our first game at the World Cup against Portugal,” the statement added.
The 51-year-old took over as Spain coach in 2016 following the retirement of long-standing manager Vicente Del Bosque who led his country to victory in the 2010 World Cup and 2012 European Championship.
Spain, unbeaten in 20 games under Lopetegui, play Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal on Friday in their opening World Cup Group B match in Sochi, Cristiano Ronaldo
(in pic) has expressed his desire to leave Real
Madrid after nine years at the club due to issues over his contract. According to Spanish newspaper Marca, the Portugal football team captain is angry with the club's revised offer that could reportedly fetch him
BALE CONUNDRUM
25 million euros ($29.5 million) a year. Ronaldo has insisted on a yearly salary of 30 million euros ($35.4 million). One of Lopetegui’s first tasks, may well be, to either convince the Portuguese star to stay at the club or in case Ronaldo refuses to relent, help Real overcome their dependence on their talisman. Gareth Bale (in pic) has also hinted that he was considering a move away from Real after his brace in the Champions League final. Lopetegui will have to make a decision on the Welshman’s future at the club. A lot of it might revolve around convincing him with a definitive role and position. Russia before facing Iran and Morocco.
REAL CONNECTION
Former goalkeeper Lopetegui spent a season as coach of Real’s B-team Castilla from 2008-09 before taking over as Spain under-19 manager in 2010.
He enjoyed success with the country’s youth sides, winning the 2012 under-19 European Championship before repeating the feat as under-21 boss 12 months later.
LACK OF DOMESTIC SUCCESS
Despite Zidane guiding Real to three straight Champions League titles, Real’s failure on the domestic front, that saw them finish 17 points behind winners Barcelona in La Liga has left fans and the board frustrated. With arch-rivals Barcelona winning seven La Liga titles in 10 years, Lopetegui faces the challenge of getting Real back
into the fold.
THE GOALKEEPER DEBATE
As a former goalkeeper himself,
UNSUCCESSFUL STINTS
Lopetegui’s forays into club management have been less successful. He was sacked from a brief spell in charge of Rayo Vallecano in Spain’s second division in 2003 and left Portuguese club Porto after failing to win any silverware from 2014-16.
GHANA’S FOOTBALL BODY SUSPENDED
ACCRA: A Ghana court on Tuesday ordered the suspension of the country’s embattled football federation, paving the way for its dissolution following explosive corruption allegations.
The High Court of Ghana granted the request of Ghana’s attorney general Gloria Akuffo to suspend the Ghana Football Association (GFA) and its officials. “GFA has undermined its existence and therefore in the interest of protecting the national interests, we say the attorney general owes the duty to take urgent measures to stop this,” Akuffo said.
In an explosive documentary aired last week, a Ghanaian journalist used a hidden camera to allegedly capture federation officials and referees soliciting bribes worth millions of dollars.
NAPOLI SIGN BOLOGNA FORWARD VERDI
ROME: SSC Napoli have added depth to their attacking line-up with the signing of forward Simone Verdi from fellow Italian football club Bologna on a five-year deal for a reported transfer fee of around $30 million.
The 25-year-old scored 10 goals and made 10 assists in the Serie A last season.
HUDDERSFIELD SIGN STOKE WINGER
LONDON: Huddersfield Town have snapped up Stoke City’s Egypt international winger Ramadan Sobhi, who will sign a three-year deal after the conclusion of the World Cup in Russia.