• Santiago Solari (second from right, back row) lines up with his teammates prior to a Champions League tie against Bayer Leverkusen in 2000. Getty Images
    Santiago Solari (second from right, back row) lines up with his teammates prior to a Champions League tie against Bayer Leverkusen in 2000. Getty Images
  • Santiago Solari has his shirt pulled by Geovanni of Barcelona during the UEFA Champions League semi-final in 2002. Getty Images
    Santiago Solari has his shirt pulled by Geovanni of Barcelona during the UEFA Champions League semi-final in 2002. Getty Images
  • Santiago Solari is challenged by Bernd Schneider of Bayer Leverkusen during the UEFA Champions League Final in 2002. Getty Images
    Santiago Solari is challenged by Bernd Schneider of Bayer Leverkusen during the UEFA Champions League Final in 2002. Getty Images
  • Santiago Solari celebrates with, Fernando Morientes, Raul, and Zinedine Zidane during their Champions League final victory in 2002. Getty Images
    Santiago Solari celebrates with, Fernando Morientes, Raul, and Zinedine Zidane during their Champions League final victory in 2002. Getty Images
  • Santiago Solari is tackled by Miakel Silvestre of Manchester United during a Champions League match in 2003. Getty Images
    Santiago Solari is tackled by Miakel Silvestre of Manchester United during a Champions League match in 2003. Getty Images
  • Zinedine Zidane, Raul, David Beckham and Santiago Solari watch a five-a-side Futsal event in Japan in 2004. Getty Images
    Zinedine Zidane, Raul, David Beckham and Santiago Solari watch a five-a-side Futsal event in Japan in 2004. Getty Images
  • Santiago Solari celebrates a goal with David Beckham in 2005. Getty Images
    Santiago Solari celebrates a goal with David Beckham in 2005. Getty Images
  • Santiago Solari during his time coaching in Real Madrid's youth system. Getty Images
    Santiago Solari during his time coaching in Real Madrid's youth system. Getty Images

Santiago Solari: Who is the new Real Madrid caretaker manager?


Ian Oxborrow
  • English
  • Arabic

All is not well at Real Madrid. Beaten 5-1 by Barcelona at the weekend, they find themselves ninth in La Liga and are now searching for a new manager after Julen Lopetegui was sacked.

Having won four, drawn two and lost four, it comes as little surprise that he has been moved on, though in his place - on a temporary basis - is a relatively unknown figure in managerial circles: Santiago Solari.

Where have Real Madrid taken Solari from?

Solari has been in charge of Real's B team, known as Castilla, since July 2016. This has been the 42-year-old's only senior managerial experience. The team play in Spain's second tier, Segunda B. Unlike in other major European leagues, such as England, Spanish clubs are allowed to have a second team in the same league system, but the two teams cannot compete in the same division.

Solari's promotion, albeit only short-term, has echoes of Zinedine Zidane who also started his managerial career with Castilla before moving up to take charge of the first team - and with great success.

Castilla are currently fifth in Segunda B having won five, drawn four and lost one in their opening 10 matches this season. They finished eighth last season.

Zinedine Zidane announced his resignation as Real Madrid manager on May 31, 2018. AFP
Zinedine Zidane announced his resignation as Real Madrid manager on May 31, 2018. AFP

He was a former Real Madrid player?

Indeed he was. Solari, a left-sided midfielder, was born in Rosario, and started his playing career at River Plate before signing for Real's arch rivals Atletico in January 1999. They were relegated the following season and he subsequently moved to the Bernabeu where he spent five years, winning La Liga in 2000-01 and 2002-03 and the Uefa Champions League in 2001-02.

This was Real Madrid's "Galactico" era, so for anyone who can't remember Solari it is probably because he was overshadowed by the likes of Luis Figo, Zidane, Raul, Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos and David Beckham.

He was still an important squad member and played 131 La Liga games for Real, scoring 10 goals.

In the summer of 2005, he moved on to Inter Milan where he won three consecutive Serie A titles, but made only 39 league appearances before heading back to Argentina in 2008 to play a season for San Lorenzo followed by short stints at Atlante in Mexico and Penarol in Uruguay.

He also played 11 internationals for Argentina, scoring one goal.

  • Real Madrid's Karim Benzema looks dejected as Barcelona's Arturo Vidal celebrates scoring their fifth goal with team-mates. Reuters
    Real Madrid's Karim Benzema looks dejected as Barcelona's Arturo Vidal celebrates scoring their fifth goal with team-mates. Reuters
  • Luis Suarez of Barcelona celebrates scoring his sides fourth goal and completes his hat trick during the La Liga match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid CF at Camp Nou in Barcelona, Spain. Getty Images
    Luis Suarez of Barcelona celebrates scoring his sides fourth goal and completes his hat trick during the La Liga match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid CF at Camp Nou in Barcelona, Spain. Getty Images
  • epa07127279 Real Madrid's head coach Julen Lopetegui reacts during a Spanish LaLiga soccer match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, northeastern Spain. EPA
    epa07127279 Real Madrid's head coach Julen Lopetegui reacts during a Spanish LaLiga soccer match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, northeastern Spain. EPA
  • Sergio Ramos of Real Madrid looks dejected as Luis Suarez of Barcelona scores his sides third goal during the La Liga match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid CF at Camp Nou in Barcelona, Spain. Getty Images
    Sergio Ramos of Real Madrid looks dejected as Luis Suarez of Barcelona scores his sides third goal during the La Liga match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid CF at Camp Nou in Barcelona, Spain. Getty Images
  • Barcelona's Uruguayan forward Luis Suarez scores his third goal during the Spanish league football match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid CF at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona. AFP
    Barcelona's Uruguayan forward Luis Suarez scores his third goal during the Spanish league football match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid CF at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona. AFP
  • Real Madrid's Casemiro (C) and Sergio Ramos (R) in action against FC Barcelona's Luis Suarez (L) during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, northeastern Spain. EPA
    Real Madrid's Casemiro (C) and Sergio Ramos (R) in action against FC Barcelona's Luis Suarez (L) during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, northeastern Spain. EPA
  • Barcelona's Uruguayan forward Luis Suarez (R) scores his second goal during the Spanish league football match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid CF at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona. AFP
    Barcelona's Uruguayan forward Luis Suarez (R) scores his second goal during the Spanish league football match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid CF at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona. AFP
  • Real Madrid's French defender Raphael Varane reacts to fouling Barcelona's Uruguayan forward Luis Suarez during the Spanish league football match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid CF at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona. AFP
    Real Madrid's French defender Raphael Varane reacts to fouling Barcelona's Uruguayan forward Luis Suarez during the Spanish league football match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid CF at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona. AFP
  • Barcelona forward Luis Suarez celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, Spain. AP Photo
    Barcelona forward Luis Suarez celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, Spain. AP Photo
  • Arturo Vidal of Barcelona scores his sides fifth goal past Thibaut Courtois of Real Madrid during the La Liga match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid CF at Camp Nou in Barcelona, Spain. Getty Images
    Arturo Vidal of Barcelona scores his sides fifth goal past Thibaut Courtois of Real Madrid during the La Liga match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid CF at Camp Nou in Barcelona, Spain. Getty Images
  • Barcelona's Uruguayan forward Luis Suarez celebrates a goal during the Spanish league football match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid CF at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona. AFP
    Barcelona's Uruguayan forward Luis Suarez celebrates a goal during the Spanish league football match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid CF at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona. AFP
  • Real Madrid president Florentino Perez is seen above the scoreboard during the Barcelona vs Real Madrid football match at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona. Reuters
    Real Madrid president Florentino Perez is seen above the scoreboard during the Barcelona vs Real Madrid football match at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona. Reuters
  • Barcelona's Luis Suarez celebrates with the match ball alongside Arturo Vidal and Ousmane Dembele at the end of the match. Reuters
    Barcelona's Luis Suarez celebrates with the match ball alongside Arturo Vidal and Ousmane Dembele at the end of the match. Reuters

Does he have a chance of getting the job permanently?

Although Real have gone down the route of promoting from their B team before, this time it looks highly unlikely.

Solari, while clearly trusted at Real, hasn't been groomed for the top job in the way that Zidane was, and clearly lacks the status and instant respect that the Frenchman had as one of the greatest players of all time.

Former Chelsea and Juventus manager Antonio Conte looked set for the job, but talks broke down on Monday

Former Everton manager Roberto Martinez, who took Belgium to the World Cup semi-final in the summer, has been linked, as has former Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho, who is of course having a difficult time at Manchester United.

Julen Lopetegui lasted just 10 league games at Real Madrid. EPA
Julen Lopetegui lasted just 10 league games at Real Madrid. EPA

What does Solari need to do?

Get Real scoring again. They've scored just 14 goals in 10 league matches so far this season - half the number of Barcelona.

Much of that can be put down to the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo to Juventus, but Solari needs to get the likes of Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema firing again.

Solari has two weeks to impress - assuming he wants the job permanently.

Spanish rules dictate that provisional managers can only be in charge for for a fortnight. During this time, Real have four matches - against Second-D division side Melilla in the Copa Del Ray on Wednesday, league fixtures against Valladolid and Celta Vigo, plus a trip to Czech team Viktoria Plzen in the Champions League.

_____________

Read more:

Arsene Wenger? Guti? Five candidates who could be the next Real Madrid manager

In pictures: Santiago Solari takes charge of first Real Madrid training session

Real Madrid sack manager Julen Lopetegui after poor run of results

El clasico takeaways: Lights out for Julen Lopetegui, but Real Madrid players have let him down

After the calm of Julen Lopetegui, Real Madrid preparing for the storm of Antonio Conte