When Ernesto Valverde joined Athletic Bilbao, he inherited a broken squad with players whose confidence had been damaged by the exhausting coaching style of Marcelo Bielsa. He impressively guided them to four straight top-seven finishes, and now he’s looking for a bigger job.
So is Ernesto Valverde the next Barcelona manager or not?
We’ll find out in a week, apparently.
Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images
That job is expected to be Barcelona, though he’s denying reports that it’s a done deal. “To make it clear,” Valverde said during a press conference announcing his exit from Athletic, “I have no agreement with any club and I have not spoken with anyone.”
If he truly hasn’t spoken with anyone yet, that would be surprising. Barcelona has already stated they will announce their new manager on May 29. Either Valverde’s lying or the Blaugrana have a firm backup plan in place.
Goal compilation of the day
In the news
Arsenal and Chelsea have canceled parade plans due to security concerns after the attack at the Manchester Arena. (The Short Fuse)
Sam Allardyce has resigned from Crystal Palace, stating that he wants to spend time with his family and has no plans to return to management. (CPFC)
Chile’s FA accidentally called Alexis Sanchez a Bayern Munich player. Brain fart, trolling, or foreshadowing? (Mirror)
Spain’s Supreme Court upheld Lionel Messi’s sentence for tax fraud, meaning he’s still not going to jail. (ESPN FC)
Real Madrid’s signing of 16-year-old Brazilian Vinicius Junior is now official. (Managing Madrid)
Newcastle has made the transfer of Christian Atsu permanent. (NUFC)
You should be reading
Daniel Harris on the Europa League final not being accommodating to fans. (Guardian)
Mark Odgen on how crucial a win is for Manchester United. (ESPN FC)
Dan Williamson on the greatest nutmeg of all time. (These Football Times)
What to watch on Wednesday (click for listings, all times ET)
Europa League final: Ajax vs. Manchester United (2:45 p.m.) — Mourinho’s coaching in a cup final, so we can’t promise top entertainment, but maybe something amazing will happen.
NWSL: NC Courage vs. Sky Blue FC (7:30 p.m.) — Probably the two most athletic teams in NWSL. Expect an end-to-end game.
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