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Report: Real Madrid to fire Lopetegui within 24 hours

Florentino Perez, Julen Lopetegui

President of Real Madrid, Florentino Perez , right and newly appointed Real Madrid coach Julen Lopetegui pose for a photo, during a press conference in Madrid, Thursday, June 14, 2018. Lopetegui was the Spanish National team’s coach but was fired on Wednesday, two days before Spain’s opening match against Portugal, because he had accepted the job to coach Real Madrid next season. (AP Photo/Andrea Comas)

AP

Fire a coach early in the season? Don’t threaten Florentino Perez with a good time.

Real Madrid will reportedly cut ties with Julen Lopetegui, heaping misery on a man whose 2018 has gone about as poorly as possible.

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Dismissed from the Spain job on the eve of the World Cup for negotiating with Real Madrid, Lopetegui’s tenure at the Bernabeu is reportedly over after a 2-1 home loss to Levante left the three-time reigning Champions League winners with 14 points through nine matches.

VAVEL’s Mootaz Chehade has the report, saying the announcement will come in the next day.

Real started 4W-1D in La Liga, but has now lost three of four in the league. Los Meringues beat Roma but lost to CSKA Moscow so far in the Champions League, and lost to Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Super Cup.

A trip to Barcelona is next for El Clasico after a midweek Champions League visit from Viktoria Plzen.

Follow @NicholasMendola