Barcelona already made a contact with the former Paris Saint-Germain coach, Laurent Blanc. The one who was sacked last June by the club. The Frenchman would appear in a short-list, along with other names such as Arsene Wenger (Arsenal), Mauricio Pochettino (Tottenham) and Jorge Sampaoli (FC Sevilla) to succeed Luis Enrique criticized since the heavy defeat in the Champions League against PSG and at the end of his contract in June.
It remains that Blanc, who recently denied any contact with Lille and Inter Milan, where his name circulated this fall, has the advantage of being free and therefore cheaper. Then Blanc already knows the Barcelona for having evolved as a player in the 1996/97 season.
Another advantage, his possession game could also espouse the local culture. In spite of everything, there is still a long way to go before seeing perhaps a second French coach succeed Lucien Muller (1978/79) on the Barcelona bench.
However, this revelation donot mean that the French will necessarily be the next coach of Barcelona. Under his contract until next June, Luis Enrique remains in position, although his position appears clearly weakened, especially after the 4-0 conceded against PSG in the knockout round of the Champions League. But according to the Catalan press, an extension of the Spanish could not be ruled out.
Barcelona finally climbed back on the top of Spanish La Liga table standings with 54 points, just 2 points ahead to their closest rivals Real Madrid after 24 games played this season after trashing a 1-2 against Atletico Madrid.
However, they could face tough game in the second leg of round 16 Champions League on March 8, at their home ground Camp Nou. Luis Enrique and his men now need a miracle to advance to the quarter-finals when they host PSG. A defeat their next game could see them earliest out from the Champions League since their round of 16 elimination in the 2006/07 game to Liverpool.
Barcelona suffered their most humiliating defeats in the first leg of round 16 Champions League history with a 4-0 defeat at PSG on last February 15. (Source:www.mirror.co.uk)
But in the first leg of round 16 Champions League, Luis Enrique admitted that he was responsible for that game. He said don’t look for anyone else to be blame.
