Jorge Sampaoli leading contender to replace Luis Enrique as Barcelona manager
Jorge Sampaoli, the man Chelsea almost appointed as head coach, is the leading contender to succeed Luis Enrique at Barcelona.
Enrique is under huge pressure, following the shock last-16 Champions League thrashing at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday night, and his Barca contract expires at the end of the season.
Barca are a point behind Real Madrid in La Liga, having played two games more, and are only two points ahead of Sampaoli’s Sevilla.
Sampaoli was interviewed by Chelsea last year and claims to have only lost out to Antonio Conte because his command of English was not good enough.
What is certain is that Sampaoli got down to the last three candidates Chelsea considered before Sevilla appointed him to succeed Unai Emery, who took over at PSG.
Emery guided Sevilla to Europa League success for the third successive season last term, beating Liverpool in the final, but Sampaoli has managed to take the Spanish club forwards.
Sevilla face Leicester City in the last-16 of the Champions League and are considered to be dark horses to win the competition.
Sampaoli is also on course to improve on last season’s seventh-place finish in La Liga, with Sevilla currently the division’s surprise package in third place.
Before taking over at Sevilla, Sampaoli led the Chilean national team to their first Copa America title after beating Argentina in the final in 2015.
The 56-year-old Argentine has developed a pressing, attacking style that would suit the demands of the Barcelona faithful.
Asked last month about the prospect of replacing Enrique at Barcelona, Sampaoli said: “Luis Enrique is a winner, he is respected and loved by the fans. If he leaves, there will be an enormous list of candidates. I see it very far away, although the good moment of Sevilla means that people look at their coach.”
Sampaoli’s Sevilla contract runs to 2018 and asked if he intends stay at the club for a second season, he added: “I don’t know. You never know. I’m happy here, I fight for things. I have synergy with the sporting director.”
Everton manager Ronald Koeman, who played at the Nou Camp for six years and was assistant coach for two years, is also one of the men being linked with the Barca job.
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