Ronald Koeman sacked as manager of Barcelona following loss to Rayo Vallecano in La Liga, club confirms
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Updated 28/10/2021 at 08:13 GMT+1
“The president of the club, Joan Laporta, informed him of the decision after the defeat against Rayo Vallecano. Ronald Koeman will say goodbye to the squad on Thursday at the Ciutat Esportiva. FC Barcelona wishes to thank him for his service to the club and wishes him all the best in his professional career.”
Ronald Koeman, cabizbajo en el banquillo del Camp Nou durante el FC Barcelona-Real Madrid
Image credit: Getty Images
Ronald Koeman has been sacked as manager of Barcelona.
The club confirmed the news following the 1-0 loss to Rayo Vallecano in La Liga on Wednesday, with the result leaving the Catalans in ninth in the table.
That defeat came on the heels of the loss to Real Madrid in El Clasico, and proved the final straw for club president Joan Laporta.
In a statement on their website, the club said: “FC Barcelona has relieved Ronald Koeman of his duties as first team coach.
“The president of the club, Joan Laporta, informed him of the decision after the defeat against Rayo Vallecano.
“Ronald Koeman will say goodbye to the squad on Thursday at the Ciutat Esportiva.
"FC Barcelona wishes to thank him for his service to the club and wishes him all the best in his professional career.”
Koeman - who starred for the club as a player and helped them to European Cup glory in 1992 - was installed as manager of Barca in the summer of 2020, with his arrival coming at a time of huge upheaval for a club who had been hard hit financially by the pandemic.
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Ronald Koeman
Image credit: Getty Images
He led Barca to the Copa Del Rey title, but the summer saw the shock departure of Lionel Messi and a cutting of their cloth.
The loss of arguably the greatest footballer to play the game could not be offset, with Barca struggling domestically and in Europe.
As well as being ninth in La Liga, they are third in Champions League Group E after a trio of games.
The search for a new manager will start immediately, with Xavi an early front-runner, but whoever comes in will be taking the reins of a club in a state of flux.
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