Lionel Messi is 13/10 to leave Barcelona as the Catalan club reels from its 8-2 defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League.
Manager Quique Setien’s sacking is yet to be officially confirmed, but it appears to be inevitable, and Ronald Koeman is the clear front-runner at 1/4.
Setien was only appointed in January but the manner of the defeat to Bayern, rumours of discontent in the Barca dressing room and their surrender of the La Liga title, mean he is on his way out of Camp Nou.
The appointment of a new manager will happen before Messi’s future is resolved and the odds quoted are on the Argentinian legend leaving the club by July next year.
Koeman rated more likely appointment than Poch
Koeman, who is currently in charge of the Netherlands national team, and could be a popular appointment with fans. He impressed in his time as manager of Southampton but is not remembered fondly for his tenure at Everton.
Mauricio Pochettino is 3/1. He’s been out of work since leaving Tottenham earlier this season and the rebuilding job that’s required at Camp Nou is the kind of task he would relish. However, his links to Barca’s local rivals Espanyol, where he played and managed, mean fans may not welcome him.
After that, it’s Francisco Javier García Pimienta 5/1 – current coach of Barca B – or a dramatic return for Pep Guardiola 17/2. He has, however, vowed to have another crack at winning the Champions League in 2020/21 with Manchester City.
Could Messi move to City to be reunited with Pep? The pair worked together in Barca’s Champions League-winning teams of 2008 and ’11 – the last time Guardiola won the tournament – and they’re the favourites to sign him if he does quit Catalonia. It’s a tantalising prospect, Pep recruiting the player he recently hailed as the best he’d managed for one last crack at European club football’s biggest prize.
City are 13/10 to sign Messi, while a move to Italy is also believed to be a possibility with Inter and Juventus both 3/1.
PSG are 9/2, a more likely destination than either Liverpool 10/1 or Manchester United 11/1, according to the odds.One thing is for sure, the times are a changing at Barcelona.
Source: Betfair Spanish La Liga
