Real Madrid have sacked manager Carlo Ancelotti with president Florentino Perez saying the club will announce a replacement next week.
Ancelotti has paid the ultimate price for a season that saw Real Madrid finish second in La Liga while they bowed out of the Champions League at the semi-final stage to Juventus.
They will end the season without a trophy a year after Ancelotti led Madrid to ‘La Decima’ with their 4-1 win over Atletico Madrid after extra-time in Lisbon.
His last match as Madrid manager was the 7-3 Liga win over Getafe on Saturday.
Real Madrid have now fired nine coaches in 12 years with Napoli coach Rafael Benitez a hot favourite to succeed Ancelotti.
Speculation will inevitably intensify that Madrid will move for Juergen Klopp when he departs Borussia Dortmund after this weekend’s German Cup final, but there is a keenness for the new coach to speak Spanish.