Quique Setien sacked, Koeman replacement and elections in March

Quique Setien has been sacked as FC Barcelona coach. The news had been expected after the debacle against Bayern Munich on Friday in the Champions League on Friday, which left the Catalan club trophy-less this season. It is now official. 

The Barça board met on Monday at Camp Nou to finalise the terms of Setien's dismissal. The former Real Betis and Las Palmas coach had been in the job for just seven months after replacing Ernesto Valverde in January. 

Barça hoped he would bring fresh ideas but that has not been the case. After being knocked out of the Copa del Rey, Barcelona missed out on La Liga to Real Madrid and then suffered their biggest European defeat ever, losing 8-2 to Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarterfinal in Lisbon. 

It meant the first season without silverware since 2007-08 and the first consequence of that is the dismissal of Setien and his coaching staff, who have failed to reach the objectives laid out when they were appointed. 

Ronald Koeman will replace him, although that news is not official yet because he's still yet to agree his Holland exit deal. The club elections have also been set for the first home game day from March 15.

“The Board of Directors have agreed that Quique Setién is no longer the first team coach,” said Barcelona.

“This is the first decision within a wider restructuring of the first team which will be agreed between the current technical secretary and the new coach, who will be announced in the coming days.

“Quique Setién came to Barça as coach on 13 January of this year. During his seven months in charge the Cantabiran coached the first team in 25 matches: 19 in the league, three in the Champions League and three in the Copa del Rey.

“The breakdown of his results was 16 wins, four draws and five defeats.”