Real Madrid set to sack Julen Lopetegui after just 12 games

Real Madrid are set to sack head coach Julen Lopetegui after a third straight defeat, according to Sky sources.

The Spaniard took over from Zinedine Zidane in June and has won just five of his 12 games in charge.

Lopetegui was sacked as manager of Spain two days before the start of the World Cup when news broke of his appointment at the Bernabeu, with former player Fernando Hierro parachuted in for the national side.

Lopetegui's tenure at Real Madrid began with a 4-2 defeat in the Spanish Super Cup to city rivals Atletico Madrid and the European champions are fifth in the La Liga table, four points behind leaders Barcelona.

They suffered a 1-0 Champions League defeat away to CSKA Moscow before the international break and returned to action with a 2-1 home defeat to Levante on Saturday, setting a new club record goalscoring drought of 481 minutes in the process.

Real Madrid are currently on a five-game winless run in all competitions.

A Champions League visit of Viktoria Plzen is up next for the club before they head to Barcelona next Sunday for the first El Clasico of the season.