Sevilla appoint Julen Lopetegui as manager

Sevilla have appointed former Spain and Real Madrid boss Julen Lopetegui as their new coach on a three-year deal.

Lopetegui, who has been out of football since he was sacked by Real Madrid last October, has signed a contract tying him to Sevilla until June 2022.

The 52-year-old replaces caretaker manager Joaquin Caparros, who was diagnosed with leukaemia soon after taking over in March and will now move to a position working with the club’s academy.

Lopetegui was embroiled in controversy when he was sacked from his role with the national team on the eve of the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Just days before Spain began their campaign it was announced he would become the new Real Madrid manager after the tournament.

The move came as a surprise to the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), which chose to dispense with Lopetegui because he had negotiated his next job without informing them.

The Basque coach then endured a torrid spell at Real Madrid, winning just six of his 14 matches in charge and suffering shock defeats to Alaves, Levante and CSKA Moscow in successive games.

He was sacked just three months into the season following a humiliating 5-1 loss to Barcelona.

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