Five candidates to replace Ernesto Valverde as Barcelona manager

Ernesto Valverde’s time as Barcelona manager is up in the air and a search for a replacement looks set to begin.

After another humiliating exit from the Champions League, Ernesto Valverde’s time as Barcelona manager may be coming to an end. Being at the helm for two consecutive collapses in the Champions League means the Barcelona board is contemplating his future at the club despite mutually agreeing to an extension earlier in the season.

According to ESPN,  the board is set to meet in the following days and discuss whether the former Athletic Bilbao manager will stay on. When asked about Valverde’s future following the loss, Barcelona President, Josep Bartomeu, declared that they want to take some time to cool off so as not to make a decision in the heat of the moment.

Anyone who follows the sport knows that Ernesto Valverde cannot continue as the manager. For such a historic club like Barcelona, these last two exits from the Champions League are inexcusable and there will be a price to pay. Both from the manager and players.

If Barcelona do decide to sack Valverde, the question on everyone’s mind will be who are the managers out there who could replace him. Looking around the top leagues, every big club has a manager in place whose job is secure and it takes a specific profile to become the Barcelona manager.

While there is a relative lack of options who could take over, there are options nonetheless. With all that being said, we’ll take a look at five potential candidates who could replace Ernesto Valverde and push the club over that Champions League hurdle. They all have their pros and cons as well as how likely the club are willing to pursue them. We’ll look at the rumored candidates and dissect the likelihood of them signing.