The Catalan club have formalized the dismissal of the Dutchman following Barça’s new league defeat on Wednesday.
AS, Sport and Mark, three Spanish dailies, were the first to reveal the news at the end of the evening: Ronald Koeman, FC Barcelona coach, was sacked from the head of FC Barcelona. A decision that came after a new defeat for the Catalans in the league on Wednesday night, on the lawn of Rayo Vallecano (1-0), leaving the team in a sad 9th place in the championship.
The press release announcing the news everyone was expecting in Spain fell shortly after midnight. “FC Barcelona sacked Ronald Koeman from his position as coach of the first team this evening (Wednesday, Editor’s note). Club president Joan Laporta informed him after the loss to Rayo Vallecano. FC Barcelona would like to thank the services rendered and wish him good luck in his career», Can we read in the press release.
Koeman came to head the team in August 2020 to succeed Quique Setien. The one who had given up the post of coach of the Netherlands to find the bench of the club whose colors he defended as a player (1989-1995), has never really succeeded in convincing within an institution in full financial debacle even if it allowed Barça to add a line to its record by winning the Spanish Cup last spring (against Athletic Bilbao).
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After the defeat against Rayo Vallecano this Wednesday evening, the journalists had raised with the coach the question of his future and the possibility that this defeat is one too many for him. “I do not know“, Replied laconically the Dutchman who has not performed better with his team in the Champions League than in La Liga. After three days, his team, definitely orphaned by Lionel Messi who left for Paris SG this summer, occupies third place in a group overflown by Bayern Munich.
Xavi Hernandez to replace him?
Now the question of his successor arises. Joan Laporta, who has never been a fan of the former central defender at the head of the team, could be tempted to bring back Xavi Hernandez, former glory of the club (767 appearances between 1998 and 2015) but currently in charge. Al Sadd SC in Qatar. The name of Roberto Martinez, coach of Belgium, is also whispered a lot in Catalonia.
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