Barcelona sack Setien, Koeman favourite to take charge

MADRID: Barcelona have sacked Quique Setien as coach, the club confirmed on Monday, with Ronald Koeman the frontrunner to be his replacement.

“The new coach will be announced in the coming days as part of a wide ranging restructuring of the first team,” Barca said on Twitter.

Setien was only appointed in January but has paid the price for Barca surrendering the La Liga title to Real Madrid and then being humiliated by Bayern Munich in the Champions League.

His exit was finalised during an emergency board meeting at Camp Nou, which lasted almost six hours and saw Koeman emerge as the favoured choice to take charge.

The club also announced next year’s presidential elections, scheduled for June, will be brought forward to March 15.

Angry supporters had hoped they would be held immediately but that possibility was ruled out, meaning under-fire president Josep Maria Bartomeu will continue.