Bilbao’s Valverde to take over at Barca
Barcelona named former Athletic Bilbao coach Ernesto Valverde on Monday as the successor to Luis Enrique and he will take charge of the La Liga runners-up on a two-year contract.
Valverde, who will be officially unveiled on Thursday, played for Barcelona as a forward between 1988 and 1990 under Johan Cruyff and is one of many of the Dutchman’s former pupils to have turned to coaching upon retiring from playing.
“He’s very happy very excited, he has the ability, experience and knowledge for the job,” Barcelona President Josep Maria Bartomeu told a news conference.
“He loves youth football and he has the right style to coach this club and knows how the club works. He has a high work rate, he is passionate about football and interested in working with the latest technology.” minute of the Serie A match and helped his team to a 3-2 win which guaranteed a secondplace finish and an automatic place in the Champions League group stage next season.
After that, it was time for the goodbyes.
Takuma Sato fought off a challenge from Helio Castroneves to become the first Japanese driver to win the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday while Fernando Alonso’s Indy adventure ended in familiar frustration. Sato, who entered the race with one IndyCar victory on his resume, claimed the series’ biggest prize.
Twice Formula One world champion Alonso, who skipped the Monaco Grand Prix to make his IndyCar debut, led for 27 laps and looked ready to earn a fairytale victory until he suffered a familiar fate when his Honda engine expired with 21 laps to go.