Decision time for Real Madrid over Solari's future as coach

　　The man promoted from Real Madrid's B team, known as Castilla, a fortnight ago to replace the sacked Julen Lopetegui on a temporary basis has led the team to four consecutive wins following Sunday's 4-2 triumph away to Celta Vigo.

　　Those four games have seen Madrid score 15 goals, 13 of which came away from home, with only two conceded.

　　Spanish league rules state that an interim coach may only remain in the post for two weeks, and this Monday sees that two-week period come to an end, meaning the club has a decision to make over Solari: they have to either back him, or send him back to Castilla.

　　If they decide Solari is not the man for the job, then the club will have to return to the search for a long-term replacement, which would probably mean accepting the demands of former Chelsea and Juventus boss Antonio Conte, or perhaps trying to convince Belgium coach Roberto Martinez to return to Spain.

　　Several players in the Madrid dressing room are known to be worried about the effort Conte is known to ask of his players, while other candidates for the Madrid dugout such as Michael Laudrup and Michel Gonzalez don't appear to have the backing of Real's board of directors - or crucially, club president Florentino Perez.

　　Solari has the numbers in his favor: no coach has ever begun their career with the Real Madrid first team with four consecutive wins and a goal difference of plus 13.

　　However, it could be that Perez is not totally convinced by Solari. Last season, the Argentine could only guide Castilla into 8th place in their group in Spain's third tier of league football, and there was talk of him being sacked after a disappointing campaign.

　　The most likely solution is for Perez to give Solari the reigns of the first team until the end of the current season, while continuing to sound out the likes of Jurgen Klopp or Mauricio Pochettino for the 2019-20 campaign.

　　If Solari turns out to be the new Zinedine Zidane, then Real Madrid will reap the rewards, but if the past four games turn out to be just a temporary recovery, Perez will have gained time to get the man he really wants in charge for next year.