adminBarcelona — Barcelona reached an agreement yesterday to sign Gerardo Martino as coach for two seasons. The 50-year-old former Paraguay boss replaces Tito Vilanova, who stepped down as Barcelona manager to continue his treatment for cancer. He was recently in charge of Newell’s Old Boys, who he led to the Argentine Torneo final title last season.
Details of his arrival in Barcelona and official presentation by the Spanish champions was to be announced later.
He becomes the fourth Argentine to manage Barca after Helenio Herrera, Roque Olsen and Cesar Luis Menotti.
It will be Martino’s first job outside of South America since a six-month spell playing for Tenerife in 1991.
A number of coaches had been linked to the vacant position, including former Barcelona B boss Luis Enrique, Tottenham’s Andre Villas-Boas, Swansea’s Michael Laudrup and Guus Hiddink, who quit as coach of Anzhi Makhachkala on Monday.
However, the Catalan club have ignored more high-profile candidates in favour of Martino, who is considered to have a similar style to former Athletic Bilbao manager Marcelo Bielsa, Martino was a key player in the Newell’s Old Boys side that Bielsa managed in the early 1990s and both hail from the Argentine city of Rosario.
Barcelona captain Carles Puyol says Martino’s managerial style will fit in with the playing philosophy at the Nou Camp.
“We know about his career, he is a very good coach,” Puyol said before Martino’s appointment was confirmed.
“He likes Barcelona’s playing style. I think all the names mentioned are capable of coaching this team.
“We have a certain way of playing; a philosophy. The coach that comes in will follow that line and I’m sure that Zubi (sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta) and the directors want a coach that can adapt to our characteristics.” — BBC Sport
Online Reporter