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Valverde on the brink at Barcelona as Iniesta brands situation as ugly

Barcelona have informed Ernesto Valverde that he will no longer be head coach of the club.  Both...
Richie McCormack
Richie McCormack

16.20 13 Jan 2020


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Valverde on the brink at Barce...

Valverde on the brink at Barcelona as Iniesta brands situation as ugly

Richie McCormack
Richie McCormack

16.20 13 Jan 2020


Share this article


Barcelona have informed Ernesto Valverde that he will no longer be head coach of the club. 

Both Catalunya Radio and Onda Cero have both claimed that Valverde's been informed of his fate at the Camp Nou, with negotiations beginning to facilitate his departure.

ESPN have gone so far as to say Valverde has already packed his belongings.

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Valverde took training as normal on Monday following Barca's return from the Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia, but he was poised to hold talks with Barcelona club president Josep Maria Bartomeu.

A double training session has been planned for Tuesday.

The 55-year old replace Luis Enrique as Barcelona boss in May of 2017 following four-years with Athletic Bilbao.

Valverde's won La Liga in each of his two full seasons in charge at the Camp Nou and they currently lead this season on goal difference from Real Madrid.

However, three of their last four league games have ended in draws and Barca have suffered embarrassing losses to the likes of Levante and Granada this season.

Talks were reportedly held in the Middle East with club legend Xavi Hernandez this past weekend, but he's said to have rebuffed their advances.

Netherlands manager Ronald Koeman - the man whose goal won Barca a first ever European Cup in 1992 - is also said to have rejected the chance to take over.

Another former Barcelona great - Andres Iniesta - paid a visit to Barcelona's training ground on Monday, but merely as a social call.

Iniesta told Onda Cero's El Transistor that the situation surrounding Valverde as "a bit ugly", saying the incumbent coach at the club must have full respect at all times.

The 2010 World Cup winner - now at Vissel Kobe in Japan - wants to continue playing for some time, but can see himself transitioning to coaching in the near future.

Despite both seemingly turning the club down, Iniesta can see both Xavi and Koeman in the Camp Nou dugout some time in the future, feeling they both have the credentials to manage Barcelona.


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Andres Iniesta Barcelona Camp Nou Ernesto Valverde La Liga Real Madrid Ronald Koeman Xavi Hernandez

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