Roberto Martinez is odds-on favourite to be the next manager of Barcelona, as rumours circulate that current boss Ernesto Valverde will be sacked today. Valverde, whose team went down to Valencia in a shock Copa del Rey final defeat at the weekend, is expected to leave even though his team won La Liga by 11 points this season.
The cup final defeat, coupled with the manner of their Champions League semi-final exit at the hands of Liverpool, has reportedly lead the Barca hierarchy to the conclusion that Valverde is not the man to lead Barca into the next stage of their future.
Martinez set for Camp Nou?
Last summer, Martinez, who is 1/4 to get the Barca job, guided Belgium to the semi-finals of the World Cup in Russia and his stock has risen while he’s been in international football.
Prior to that he was sacked as Everton manager after three years, having joined from Wigan, where he won the FA Cup and got relegated in the same season.
Koeman and Allegri among other leading candidates
Another ex-Everton manager Ronald Koeman is also in the running to succeed Valverde. The Dutchman is currently managing his country’s national team, and is about to lead them into their Nations League semi-final against England in Portugal. He’s 9/2 for the Camp Nou job and, as a former-Barca player, would surely find the call from Catalonia hard to resist.
Massimiliano Allegri is next in the betting at 13/2. The Italian stunned fans earlier this month by announcing that he was leaving Juventus. Allegri won the Serie A title in each of his five years at the club. He’s shown he can handle the pressure at one of Europe’s biggest clubs and bring home the silverware, although his failure to win the Champions League – the prize Barca really want – could count against him.
Meanwhile, in Madrid…
Sergio Ramos says he wants to leave Real Madrid, so which will it be for arguably the most dislikeable man in European football – a dramatic exit or new contract? You may remember that this is not the first the Madrid captain has said he wants out of Madrid. Four years ago, he did the same, flirted outrageously with Manchester United then signed improved terms at the Bernabeu.
This time, it could be for real (sorry), as the 33-year-old tries to engineer at big payday in China’s Super League and Zinedine Zidane begins the task of rebuilding Madrid. Ramos is 11/4 to sign for a Chinese club this summer.
Source: BetFair Tips
