Real Madrid vice-president Jose Angel Sanchez is keeping Julen Lopetegui in a job this week.

The Real coach appears set to be in charge for the El Clasico this weekend against Barcelona, despite losing three of their past four LaLiga games.

And El Confidencial says it was Sanchez's intervention which rescued Lopetegui from the sack last weekend.

Immediately after defeat to Levante on Saturday, president Florentino Perez declared he was ready to sack Lopetegui in the executive box. But Sanchez urged Perez not to act - especially in the week of the El Clasico.

It was agreed, still in the box, that nothing would be decided until after the Barca clash.