Home   >   Transfer News   >   Barcelona appoint Gerardo Martino as new manager

Barcelona appoint Gerardo Martino as new manager

By on July 22, 2013

20130722-204939.jpgBarcelona have appointed Gerardo “Tata” Martino as the replacement for departing manager Tito Vilanova on a three-year contract. Martino will make the most glamorous move of his sixteen year managerial career after proving his tactical knowledge at Newell’s Old Boys, where he won the Argentina Primera Division and lead the club to the Copa Libertadores semi-finals last season.

The Argentine had previously managed the Paraguay national team, with Martino winning the South American manager of the year in 2007 at the start of his somewhat successful term coaching Paraguay’s elite.

Martino had immediately risen as one of the favorites to take over at the Nou Camp after former manager Vilanova’s recurrence of cancer forced him to step down, and Barca arranged a video conference with the former attacking midfielder early Monday. The 50-year-old agreed to join the Spanish champions during the conference, and looks set to join Lionel Messi & Co. in Spain once a contract is finalized.

Martino likes to press his side high up the field and dominate possession in order to win matches, perfectly suiting him with the Blaugrana. Barca’s board thought so too, choosing to appoint him instead of former Barcelona B manager Luis Enrique, they had also been approached after the current Celta Vigo manager emerged alongside Martino as one of the favorites to take over the vacant position.

About Alex Morgan

Alex Morgan, founder of Football Every Day, lives and breaths football from the West Coast of the United States in California. Aside from founding Football Every Day in January of 2013, Alex has also launched his own journalism career and hopes to help others do the same with FBED. He covers the San Jose Earthquakes as a beat reporter for QuakesTalk.com and his work has also been featured in the BBC's Match of the Day Magazine.