How Barcelona will go about choosing Luis Enrique's replacement

Hours after Luis Enrique announced he will leave FC Barcelona at the end of the season, the club have began the search for his replacement. How will the new Blaugrana manager be chosen? That's the question among all supporters. And SPORT have the answer. 

The decision will be made by a nucleus of just four people. This 'Emergency Committee' will be formed by president Josep Maria Bartomeu, vice president Jordi Mestre, director of professional sports Albert Soler and sporting director Robert Fernandez. 

In the first meeting, which will happen in the coming hours, they must take three important decisions. 

1.- Decide what style of football Barça should play

2.- Lay out the profile of the new manager in terms of style

3.- Draw up a list of candidates

On the style of football, it would seem there are no doubts: the model which has had so much success must be maintained, although with the inevitable evolution (already began by Luis Enrique) so as not to be left behind. 

The profile, for that reason, must be based on these footballing conditions. It must be a manager with Barça DNA and, preferably, one with a deep knowledge of the club. That's to say, someone who has worn the Blaugrana shirt. 

CANDIDATES 

The first list of candidates includes four former Barcelona players: Ernesto Valverde (Athletic), Ronald Koeman (Everton), Eusebio Sacristán (Real Sociedad) and Juan Carlos Unzué (Luis Enrique's No.2 at FC Barcelona).

It will be Albert Soler and Robert Fernandez who must contact them to find out whether they would be interested in the job and -- if they are -- to talk about how the project would develop with them at the helm. 

If those four options fail, the list extends to managers who have never been at Barcelona, but who understand the club's philosophy and could apply it perfectly. In this case, Jorge Sampaoli (Sevilla) and Jürgen Klopp (Liverpool) come into the thinking.

TIMEFRAME

When it comes to taking a decision, the calendar is also important. Barça's search will not intensify until after the second leg of their Champions League tie with Paris Saint-Germain. The team are looking to become the first team to overturn a four-goal deficit and reach the quarter-final.

What's clear is that a decision must be made (and announced) before the end of the current season. At the latest, Barça want everything sorted by May 27, when they play the Copa del Rey final against Alaves. 

SPORT have also learned that Barcelona have not, for now, made contact with any other coach because the intention was for Luis Enrique to continue into a fourth season. With that now off the table, the search begins immediately.