Barcelona appoint Koeman as new coach

Barcelona, August 19

Barcelona have appointed Ronald Koeman as their next coach, the club said in a statement today. Koeman, who has left his role as manager of the Netherlands, has signed a two-year deal with Barcelona, who sacked Quique Setien after he presided over the club’s worst defeat ever in European competition and a first trophy-less season for the club since the 2007-08 campaign.

High-profile exits?

Koeman is expected to oversee a massive overhaul of the squad as he leads them into a new era, president Josep Maria Bartomeu has said.

Koeman will oversee the transition alongside Ramon Planes, the new chief technical secretary after Eric Abidal left the club. Bartomeu did not say which players would depart but referred to seven players who were not for sale: captain Lionel Messi, goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, defenders Clement Lenglet and Nelson Semedo, plus recent signings Antoine Griezmann, Frenkie de Jong and winger Ousmane Dembele. Gerard Pique and Sergio Busquets, who have been at the club since 2008, were omitted from Bartomeu’s list. Jordi Alba, Ivan Rakitic and Luis Suarez were also absent. — Reuters