Xavi and Martinez in the frame after Barcelona sack Koeman
Barcelona have sacked coach Ronald Koeman after last night’s 1-0 La Liga defeat at Rayo Vallecano.
The 58-year-old former Southampton and Everton manager was already under pressure after his side lost 2-1 to Real Madrid at the weekend and this latest reverse – their fourth in the past six matches – proved the final straw for the board.
“FC Barcelona has relieved Ronald Koeman of his duties as firstteam coach,” the club said in a statement. “Ronald Koeman will say goodbye to the squad on Thursday.
“FC Barcelona wishes to thank him for his service to the club and wishes him all the best in his professional career.”
Barcelona are ninth in La Liga on 15 points from 10 games, six points behind Real Madrid.
They are third in their Champions League group with three points from three matches after suffering 3-0 defeats in their opening two games, against Bayern Munich and Benfica. Barcelona are five-time European champions, and this campaign marks the first time in the club’s history that they have failed to score in their opening two European games.
Koeman, 58, spent six years with Barca as a player, winning La Liga five times and the European Cup in 1992. He was brought back to the club in August 2020 by former president Josep Maria Bartomeu. New chief Joan Laporta, however, had made it clear that the Dutchman was not his appointment.
The duo had an uneasy relationship, with Koeman last month releasing a statement asking to be given time to rebuild after losing Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann in the transfer window.
Spanish media reported last night that former midfielder Xavi Hernandez, currently in charge of Al Sadd in Qatar, and Belgium coach Roberto Martinez are front-runners to take the reins.