This comes a close second behind the confirmation of Louis van Gaal as Manchester United manager as the most inevitable news of the day.
Even before Tata Martino’s departure as Barcelona manager following the 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid on Saturday that secured the latter’s first La Liga title since 1996, there had been fairly loud murmurings that Enrique, a former Barcelona player, would end up getting the top job at the Nou Camp and it was officially confirmed by the club this evening.
“The FC Barcelona board of directors have confirmed Luis Enrique Martineza as the new first-team coach, following a proposal from sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta,” read a statement on Barcelona’s official website.
“Luis Enrique, 44, will sign a two-year deal.”
Enrique will return to the Nou Camp having just guided Celta Vigo to a ninth place finish in La Liga in his first and only season with the club, whom he managed after a brief spell in charge of Roma and three years with Barcelona B after taking over from current Bayern Munich boss Pep Guardiola in 2008.
The 62-times capped Spanish international played for Real Madrid for five years before joining Barcelona in 1996 and he stayed there until hanging up his boots for good as a 34-year old in 2004.
Although there has been a clamour for Enrique’s appointment in recent weeks, he will surely have learned from Martino’s time at the club that managing Barcelona is a pretty tough gig; despite being in the title race until the last day of the season and reaching the Champions League quarter-finals and the Copa del Rey final, the writing had been on the wall for Martino for some time before his departure at the weekend.
No pressure then Luis! Seriously, we wish him all the best.
