Koeman entering critical period with job on the line
Barcelona are set to begin a critical three-match period for both the club and under fire boss Ronald Koeman as the Dutch icon’s future in the Catalan capital hangs by a thread.
Blaugrana prepare for a tricky weekend clash with Valencia at the Camp Nou before hosting Ukrainian giants Dynamo Kyiv only to then clash with table-topping Real Madrid also in front of home support.
Koeman will undoubtedly need to pick up nine points if his tenure at Barcelona is to be extended, as dropped points against one or multiple upcoming opponents – especially if poor displays are a continued trend – is likely to spell disaster.
With his future in the balance and Barcelona regularly linked with interest in other potential candidates to replace the Dutchman, here are five managers that Barça could turn to should they part ways with Koeman.
Xavi
The story of a prodigal son returning home to save the club from disaster would write its own headlines. For Barcelona and Spain legend Xavi, the chance to take up his post at the Camp Nou would be a dream.
From 1998-2015, Xavi made over 700-appearances for Blaugrana while helping the club to 25 major trophies along the way. Xavi defined a club on the pitch, and could be in with a chance to help re-define it on the touchline.
His managerial record at Qatari outfit Al Sadd – to date – is certainly credible and comes with a 66.30% win percentage across 92 matches managed. But managing in Qatar is not La Liga and the gargantuan jump between leagues could be a real bug-bear for the Barça great. Still, few know the club better than him both on and off the pitch; that should count for something.
Luis Enrique
He may not be a son of Barcelona, but Luis Enrique has already endeared himself to the Blaugrana faithful both as a player and a coach.
Enrique spent eight seasons at the Camp Nou after moving from Real Madrid in 1996 and went on to help the club to seven major honors, including two La Liga titles. As a manager, Enrique was highly successful both at Barcelona B and with the first-team, managing a combined 305-matches between the two sides.
Barcelona won nine major honors under his stewardship, including a Champions League win in 2014-15. His good record with the Spanish national team and his willingness to turn to youth for La Roja could serve him well as the likes of Gavi, Pedri, and Ansu Fati have all served under his command.
Andrea Pirlo
One of the headline names for any managerial vacancy at a big club, Italian legend Andrea Pirlo would certainly field a phone call or two from Barcelona president Joan Laporta if and when Koeman gets the sack.
Laporta has advocated for Pirlo a great deal in the past, and though the Barcelona president continues to push his name to be the one drawn out of a hat, the club’s board do not approve of the selection and a clash between the two entities is rumored to be ongoing.
There have been no official overtures from the club in Pirlo’s direction, but his good – and only – spell in top flight football with Juventus netted La Vecchia Signora a Coppa Italia triumph as well as a Supercoppa Italiana. He may not have Luis Enrique’s CV, but the way Pirlo reads the game and the gravitas that comes attached to his name could be intriguing.
Erik ten Hag
Already rumored to be lined-up by Barcelona to replace his fellow Dutchman, Ajax Amsterdam boss Erik ten Hag would certainly be an interesting appointment in certain respects.
As Ajax headmaster he understands the requirements necessary for a club of size and stature, as Ajax are expected to – at the bare minimum – win the Eredivisie year on year while keeping the likes of bitter rivals PSV Eindhoven and Feyenoord Rotterdam at bay. But the Dutch giants are not expected to compete heavily in Champions League year on year, nor does he manage a plethora of mega-stars.
Still and yet, there is a reason why Pep Guardiola is said to have given his endorsement of Ten Hag for the role on the back of the Dutchman having managed Bayern Munich II during Pep’s stint in Bavaria at the Allianz Arena. Could Barcelona continue their Dutch connections with Ten Hag? It would hardly be a surprise.
Antonio Conte
With a CV as credible as any if not better, Antonio Conte could certainly foster change at Barcelona if he was given a call by the clubs hierarchy to take over for Koeman.
Conte has achieved a considerable amount of success across his stints at Juventus, Chelsea, and Inter Milan, winning nine major honors including league titles at all three charges. His dominant Serie A win with Inter last season could arguably be his biggest managerial highlight as I Nerazzurri ran away clear winners by a 12-point margin.
But his reliance on a 3-5-2 formation is the antithesis of everything that Barcelona is about on the pitch, and though his success at bringing silverware at big clubs is certainly attractive, a club of Barça’s standing will undoubtedly prefer a manager that pushes for football to be played the right way.