Quique Setien confirmed as the new manager of Barcelona post sacking of Ernesto Valverde on Monday evening
Barcelona’s new manager Quique Setien once told Lionel Messi that he wanted to still be watching him play at the age of 60, has now become his new boss at 61.
The former Racing Santander, Equatorial Guinea, Las Palmas, and Real Betis boss was appointed the new Barcelona manager on Monday evening following the sacking of Ernesto Valverde, who lifted a La Liga title in both of his two full seasons at the Nou Camp.
Barcelona is currently at the top of the table this season as well. But Valverde had a huge amount to pay for 2 catastrophic champions league failures against Roma in the quarter-finals in 2018 and Liverpool in the semis in 2019. The Camp Nou tribe also surrendered a 2-1 lead to lose 3-2 loss to Atletico Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup last week and hence followed the sacking of Valverde from his position which was replaced by Setien.
Barcelona is the last visiting team to win at home ground, doing so 4-3 last season.
After that game, Sergio Busquets gave Setien his shirt, on which he’d written the message, “For Quique with love and admiration for your way of looking at football. All the best.”
Setien’s appointment has also led to un unavoidable discussions about his past connections with his new club and Lionel Messi, who the Barca website claim he once called “luxury and the best player in history.”
“One day, invited by Guardiola, I had the opportunity to watch Messi train from the side of the pitch,” Setien told El Pais, as quoted by Marca.
“I went up to him and I asked him to keep playing until I was 60 years old, at least until I die.” He’ll now get the chance to see him up close.
