Barcelona have officially sacked coach Quique Setien and announced ‘a wider restructuring of the first team,’ as reports continue to suggest Lionel Messi could leave.
The Inter and Manchester City target is for the first time genuinely considering his future at Camp Nou after the 8-2 Champions League quarter-final defeat to Bayern Munich.
His contract expires in June 2021, although there is a clause that allows him to leave for free, even if the details aren’t very clear.
Barcelona have officially sacked coach Quique Setien and announced ‘a wider restructuring of the first team,’ as reports continue to suggest Lionel Messi could leave.
The Inter and Manchester City target is for the first time genuinely considering his future at Camp Nou after the 8-2 Champions League quarter-final defeat to Bayern Munich.
His contract expires in June 2021, although there is a clause that allows him to leave for free, even if the details aren’t very clear.
“The Board of Directors have agreed that Quique Setién is no longer the first team coach,” read a statement.
“This is the first decision within a wider restructuring of the first team which will be agreed between the current technical secretary and the new coach, who will be announced in the coming days.”
It’s widely reported Ronald Koeman will be the new coach, although first the club must buy him out of his contract with the Netherlands international team.
President Josep Bartomeu has not resigned and an election will not be held until March, 2021.
“The FC Barcelona Board of Directors, assuming its responsibility for the sporting situation that the club are experiencing, have agreed that the date for the next presidential elections will be the first matchday past March 15, 2021. The formal announcement of the elections will take place at the end of January 2021, in accordance with the provisions of article 43.1 of the Club Statutes.
“After considering all options, the Board consider this to be the most viable date for the aforementioned elections. The Board understand that an immediate call for elections is not feasible, given that the league season will begin on the weekend of September 12, 2020, and the situation arising from the COVID-19 crisis -both economically and socially. Consequently, the club will continue to implement the plan to reverse the sporting and economic situation, based on profound changes to the first team, plus a redefined budget to deal with the new situation caused by COVID-19, before the end of the current mandate.
“The holding of the elections from March 15 next year implies that the Board of Directors assume full responsibility regarding the 2020-2021 financial year.
“Likewise, the holding of elections on the first available date within the deadline set due to the end of the mandate, in accordance with the provisions of the Club Statutes, will allow an orderly transition to the winning candidacy, which will have a sufficient time frame in which to plan for the 2021-2022 season.”