Barcelona: Barcelona FC will try to end one of the worst crises in club history with Ronald Koeman as their coach. Barcelona officially announced a deal Wednesday with Ronald Koeman. The declaration came a day after club president Josep Bartomeu had said the Dutchman accepted the coaching offer. Bartomeu had also stated that the final details were being worked out.
The official announcement comes five days after the team’s humiliating 2-8 loss to Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarterfinals. Barcelona said the former defender’s deal runs through June 2022.
Koeman replaces the fired Quique Setién, who stayed only 25 matches. Setién had taken over from Ernesto Valverde in January. However, football then was suspended in March due to the coronavirus induced lockdown in various parts of the world.
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Barcelona said Koeman will be officially introduced later Wednesday. “The Dutchman brings more than 20 years of experience as manager and eight trophies on his CV,” Barcelona said.
Koeman had been coaching the Dutch national team since 2018. He had previously coached in the Premier League, the Spanish, Dutch and the Portuguese leagues.
The 57-year-old Koeman began his coaching career as an assistant with Barcelona in the late 1990s. As a player, Koeman helped Barcelona clinch their first European title. He scored an extra-time winner in a final against Sampdoria at Wembley Stadium nearly two decades ago.
“The ‘Blaugrana’ legend, hero of Wembley, the man who handed Barça their first ever victory in the European Cup returns to Camp Nou,” Barcelona said.
Koeman’s return will certainly please Lionel Messi. The Argentine was not happy with either Valverde or his replacement Setien. In fact Messi’s agent has started negotiation with Manchester City for a move to the Premier League club. Messi is inclined to shift to Manchester City as his favourite Pep Guardiola is in charge.