Barcelona appoint Ronald Koeman as head coach

Barcelona have announced the appointment of Ronald Koeman,a Dutch professional football manager, as its head coach.

The Spanish giant, in a statement on Wednesday, confirmed that Koeman will be the Blaugrana’s coach for two years.

🙌 Welcome home, @RonaldKoeman!
💙❤️ #KoemanCuler

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) August 19, 2020

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The 57-year-old ex-player takes over from Quique Setien, who was recently sacked after Barcelona’s 8-2 humiliating defeat to Bayern in the quarter final of the Champions League on Friday.

“Barcelona and Ronald Koeman have reached an agreement for the Dutchman to take over as first team coach until 30 June 2022,” the club said in a statement.

“The blaugrana legend, hero of Wembley, the man who handed Barça their first ever victory in the European Cup returns to Camp Nou.

“This time, however, he will do so as coach as the Dutchman brings more than 20 years of experience as manager and eight trophies on his CV.

“Ronald Koeman comes to FC Barcelona after coaching in the Premier League, La Liga, the Dutch league, the Portuguese league and also on the international stage with the Netherlands.

“Koeman began his coaching career at FC Barcelona as first team assistant coach and then as coach of Barça B in the 1998-99 season.

“The following season he made his way to Vitesse where stayed until 2001 when he moved on to Ajax Amsterdam where he won two league titles, a Dutch Cup and a Dutch Super Cup.

“In 2005 he moved on to Portugal and Benfica where he won the Portuguese Super Cup. The former Barça player returned to Holland in 2006 when he took over at PSV Eindhoven, winning the Eredivisie title again in 2007.

“After success with PSV he returned to Spain and Valencia, winning the Copa del Rey. That was followed by a return to his native country once again where he won the 2009 Super Cup with AZ Alkmaar before coaching Feyenoord between 2011 and 2014.

“Koeman headed for the Premier League for the 2014-15 season with Southampton before moving on to Everton in 2016 where he spent 18 months. In 2018 he took over as the Netherlands national team coach before returning to FC Barcelona as coach.”

The former Dutch defender won four La Liga titles in a row at Barcelona and scored the winning goal in the 1991/92 European Cup final, securing the club’s first ever trophy in the competition.

A member of Johan Cruyff’s famous “Dream Team”, he secured a total of 350 games for Barcelona in which he scored 106 goals.