Valverde has supporters

Catalan sports weekly paper Gol claims that Espanyol manager Ernesto Valverde (44) is Johan Cruijff’s first choice to become the new Barcelona manager in case current coach Frank Rijkaard (45) would leave at the end of the season. Valverde, who played for Barcelona (under Cruijff) between 1988 and 1990, would also be supported by Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain. By choosing for a less outspoken personality like Valverde, both Cruijff and Txiki would want to prevent losing influence.

The main problem to bring in Valverde would be the contract that binds the manager to Espanyol Barcelona until June of 2009. Since Barcelona didn’t want to let go Argentinian forward Javier Saviola to Espanyol in the summer of 2006, Espanyol president Daniel Sánchez Llibre is still waiting to pay the city rival back.


(read more about Cruijff's opinion on Valverde here)