Barcelona appoint Valverde as new boss

Barcelona have appointed Ernesto Valverde as their head coach on a two-year deal, with an option for a third.

Former Barca forward Valverde announced last week that he was leaving Athletic Bilbao after four years in charge.

He replaces Luis Enrique, who revealed in March that he would leave the club - who finished second in La Liga at the end of his three-year contract.

Enrique led Barcelona to the treble in his first season, the domestic double in 2016 and the Copa del Rey this year.

They beat Alaves 3-1 in Sunday’s final - his last match in charge.

Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu praised 53-year-old Valverde’s “ability, judgement, knowledge and experience”, adding: “He promotes young players and he plays the Barca way.”

Valverde’s presentation as Barca’s new coach will take place tomorrow.

In many ways, Ernesto Valverde’s appointment at Barcelona makes perfect sense.

His task is to instil a convincing collective structure into a team too often overreliant on Lionel Messi recently, and especially to address the defensive vulnerabilities which saw Barca concede 10 goals in this season’s Champions League trips to Juventus, PSG and Manchester City.

And Valverde has the credentials to be successful. He is an experienced and intelligent coach with good organisational and communication skills, implementing a fast-paced style of play which earned the regular approval of the most important figure in the club’s history, his former manager Johan Cruyff.

Despite those plus points, however, Valverde will receive little more than a lukewarm welcome from many fans, who are sceptical of his abilities to master the internal politics inherent at such a huge club.