Gerardo Martino's reign as Barcelona manager came to an altogether unsurprising end on Saturday with the announcement during his post-match press conference that he and the club agreed to part ways in the wake of Barca's 1-1 draw against Atlético Madrid on Saturday.
Gerardo Martino leaves FC Barcelona
Gerardo Martino and Barcelona have agreed to part ways, less than a year after the Argentine manager took over at the Camp Nou.
David Ramos
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Martino took over last summer after Tito Vilanova was forced to step down due to health reasons, joining Barca from Newell's Old Boys in Argentina. Martino never seemed to win over fans at the Camp Nou, stubbornly sticking with his rotation policy for most of the year despite mixed results. Injuries certainly played a roll in the team's struggles as well, but by the close of the season on Satuday, it was clear that Martino would not be returning.
Under Martino, Barcelona finished in second place, three points behind the league champions Atlético Madrid. They lost in the Copa del Rey final against rivals Real Madrid, and were knocked out of the Champions League in the quarterfinals by Atléti. It was the first time Barca failed to reach at least the semifinal stage of the tournament since they were eliminated in the Round of 16 by Liverpool in 2007.
They did win the Spanish Super Cup at the beginning of the season, but that’s not high on the priority list for the Blaugrana.
Martino's name has been linked with several teams, including Tottenham in England. Luis Enrique, who announced over the weekend that he'll be leaving Celta Vigo during the summer, is the favorite to replace Martino at the Camp Nou.
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