* Coach to leave at the end of the season, source says
* Guardiola to speak at news conference later on Friday
(Adds news conference called)
By Nigel Davies
MADRID, April 27 (Reuters) – Barcelona’s most successful
manager, Pep Guardiola, will walk away from the Catalans at the
end of the season, a source close to the club told Reuters on
Friday, ending a trophy-laden four-year spell built on a passing
style of unmatched fluidity and control.
The 41-year-old former midfielder informed club president
Sandro Rosell of his decision on Thursday, said the source, who
asked not to be identified by name.
Guardiola was planning to brief his players at training on
Friday morning and Barca announced he would appear at a news
conference at 1.30 p.m. local time (1130 GMT) at the club’s Nou
Camp stadium with president Sandro Rosell and sporting director
Andoni Zubizarreta.
Speculation about his future intensified after holders Barca
were knocked out of the Champions League by Chelsea 3-2 on
aggregate in their semi-final on Tuesday.
That followed a 2-1 home loss to arch rivals Real Madrid on
Saturday that meant they are likely to miss out on a fourth
straight La Liga title.
Spanish media reported that Athletic Bilbao coach Marcelo
Bielsa, former Barca player Luis Enrique, now in charge at AS
Roma, and Ernesto Valverde, who played for Barca and went on to
coach clubs including Bilbao, Espanyol and Villarreal were
likely candidates to replace Guardiola.
Other names mentioned were Andre Villas-Boas, sacked by
Chelsea last month, and Laurent Blanc and Vicente del Bosque,
the coaches of France and Spain respectively.
Guardiola has enjoyed a hugely successful stint at the helm
of the Catalan club, winning 13 trophies in four seasons while
playing a style of football that has been widely acclaimed as
the best in the world.
GROWING SPECULATION
However, the longer he has delayed a decision on his future
the more speculation has grown he might be lured to another
club, with reports linking him to the Chelsea and Inter Milan
jobs, among others.
Some suggested he was in line to become the next England
manager or that he was planning to take a sabbatical.
He has preferred to renew his Barca contract on an annual
basis and waited until Feb. 8 last year before agreeing a new
deal.
He then went on to capture a third consecutive La Liga title
and a second Champions League crown, as well as the Spanish and
European Super Cups and the Club World Cup. Their success built
on ball retention with team’s fortunate to enjoy 30 percent of
possession against them.
Barca have a chance to claim more silverware this season in
the King’s Cup and play Athletic Bilbao in next month’s final.
(Editing by Patrick Johnston)
