Most, if not all, of Real Madrid fans will be happy to see the back of Julen Lopetegui.

After a pretty disastrous start to the season, the last straw came in the form of a 5-1 El Clásico defeat to bitter rivals Barcelona on Sunday evening.

What was expected to be coming down the tracks for weeks finally came to fruition as Real Madrid decided enough was enough and parted ways with the Spaniard.

Speaking on Tuesday morning's #OTBAM, Graham Hunter outlined who was in the running to replace Lopetegui in the short term and into the future.

"Typically for Spanish football, the picture is both clear and obscured," he explained.

"Santiago Solari is taking training today, who played for both Atleti and Real Madrid in his time as a player.

"He was tough on the football pitch, a permanently angry man. Creative, dangerous, decent in the air.

"He's been training in what's called La Fábrica, the youth system [at Real Madrid], with a moderate record in where his teams have progressed and finished in the league."

Antonio Conte appears to be Florentino Perez's top choice to succeed Julen Lopetegui at the Santiago Bernabeu. Image: Nick Potts/PA Wire/PA Images

While Solari looks set to perhaps take the reins until the end of the season, in the longer term another manager is being considered for the job.

"Antonio Conte wants the job. He's wanted to be Real Madrid coach for a large part of his career since he's finished his playing career.

"He hadn't really believed that it would be feasible. Rather than an objective, it was one of these dream ideas. As the possibilities have narrowed, he's become more keen and now actively wants the job."

Hunter acknowledged that more worked needed to be done on Real's fitness and conditioning and pointed out that keeping the players on-side will be massively important to creating a positive atmosphere at the club.

"It's 5-1 on Sunday evening, journalists ask captain Sergio Ramos, who is in the worst form of his life, if Conte was going to take over.

"Lopetegui hadn't even been sacked - so therefore Conte hadn't been appointed.

"In answer to a question about Conte's style, Ramos says: 'You don't impose respect, you have to gain it.'

"In other words, Antonio if you plan on coming here the war has already started. Don't think you can come into my club and bully me.

"Only in Spain can a captain of a club beaten 5-1, where the manager is still imposed, start criticizing the manager who hasn't yet been appointed."