Koeman, in the footsteps of Van Gaal (2003) and Valverde (2020)

Between January 26, 2003, when Louis van Gaal was dismissed with the team in 12th place, 20 points behind the leader, 10 from the Champions League and three from relegation in the 2002-03 League, and on January 13, 2020, when Josep Maria Bartomeu announced the goodbye of Ernesto Valverde, 17 years passed without FC Barcelona changing manager mid-season. This time it hasn’t been that long and Ronald Koeman leaves office on October 27, 2021, just 20 months after the departure of the Txingurri, a sign that the Barça club continues to go through troubled times.

Toño de la Cruz, on an interim basis, and Radomir Antic, until the end of the season, ended that 2002-03 season, as did Quique Setien in the 2019-20 academic year. But they did not continue. Now Xavi Hernandez It is the favorite, but not as a patch, but as a bet for years.

Koeman he is the first coach to dismiss Joan Laporta, who in his first stage in the presidency (2003-10) kept in office for five years Frank Rijkaard, until he left in 2008 to fulfill his contract, and two years to Pep Guardiola, who then continued until 2012. Precisely, in the Assembly last Saturday, he reminded the members that “when you have to make decisions is when things go wrong. Rijkaard I already did the same as with Koeman. In times of difficulty, maximum confidence. To resist is to win at the moment in which we now live at Barça. “The message was valid for five days.

After Rijkaard (2003-08), Pep Guardiola (2008-12), Tito vilanova (2012-13), Nanny Martino (2013-14) and Luis Enrique (2014-17) did complete the seasons.

Curiously, Barça did not lose in Vallecas since December 7, 2002, a 1-0 with Van Gaal on the bench a month and a half before his goodbye. History, more immediately, repeats itself with Koeman: 1-0 in Vallecas and goodbye.

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