Barcelona FC News Friday Update

It’s been both a sad and an exciting week at the Nou Camp and it all started off with Tito Vilanova’s decision to step down as Barca coach. It must have been a tough decision for Tito to take but a second relapse of his illness meant that his job at Barca would be incompatible with the treatment he is going to receive in New York.

Then there was the frantic search for a new coach with Rosell stating that the following week, there would be a new one sitting on the Barca bench. There was a short list which was eventually narrowed down to just two – Luis Enrique and Tata Martino. Lots of rumours put ex Barca player Luis Enrique in the hot seat.

Then we had the news that Gerardo Tata Martino was to be named as Barca coach and that he was negotiating with the club. A lot of people had raised eyebrows as most, with hand on heart, had never heard of the Argentine coach who was in charge of the Paraguay national team and Argentine side Newell’s Old Boys.

Martino duly agreed to the job and all that was left for the Catalan club was to announce it officially. Martino arrived yesterday at the Nou Camp and will be presented today. Players like Andrés Iniesta came out in support of the coach and said  “he’s the ideal coach if he’s been chosen by the club“.

FC Barcelona travelled to Munich on Wednesday for their game against Pep Guardiola’s Bayern. It was not a very exciting game but then again, Roura did decide to field most of the youth academy against a pretty strong German outfit. Barca lost 2-1 with goals coming from Philipp Lahm and Matsu Mandzukic.

A lot of fans thought Leo Messi had something to do with Martino’s appointment and the coach himself said that maybe the player and his father, Jorge, put in a good word for him. Messi then went on record stating:

“I have nothing to do with Martino’s signing, nor do I have to give any explanations.

“It was down to president Sandro Rosell and the club.

“I said before that he seemed a good coach, but I don’t have to explain anything.”

Last of all we had Martino producing his own list of possible candidates for the role of central defender that Barca so desperately needs. He came up with 24 year-old Santiago Vergini of Newell’s Old Boys. The tall young man would seem perfect at the back for Barca and we most certainly would hear if Martino is successful in convincing the Barca board on this possible new addition to the club.