Barcelona in turmoil as Messi wants new coach in place but president prefers bigger name

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The 2019/20 campaign really is going from bad to worse for Barcelona, with Lionel Messi already putting a name forward to replace current coach, Quique Setien.

After a terrible run of results for the Catalans, retaining the league title appears beyond them this season, with the Champions League viable but unlikely too.

Setien appears to have lost the dressing room, with a recent drinks break, where managers usually take time to make tactical switches or deliver a brief team talk, only highlighting the disconnect between him and his players.

According to Don Balon, Messi has asked for River Plate’s Marcelo Gallardo to be put in charge of the team, but president Josep Maria Bartomeu would prefer someone with more experience and has identified Ajax’s Erik ten Hag.

Don Balon even go as far to suggest that Setien could be sacked this week, something that might’ve been unthinkable prior to the lockdown.

Even if the club decide to keep the current coach on until the end of the campaign, there seems to be a very strong possibility now that he won’t be in place for the beginning of the 2020/21 season.

More Stories Josep Maria Bartomeu Lionel Messi Quique Setien