Real Madrid have sacked their coach Julen Lopetegui after just 139 days in charge, the club confirmed on Monday. Lopetegui was appointed in June but five defeats in seven games, the last of them a 5-1 thrashing by Barcelona on Sunday, have convinced Madrid to make a change. Santiago Solari, the club's B team coach, has been put in temporary charge.

The decision was announced following a meeting of Madrid's board of directors on Monday night. A club statement read: "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 Golden Ball, something unprecedented in the history of the club, and the results obtained to date."