Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu vowed to appoint a “super coach” after Luis Enrique’s decision to leave at season’s end.
Luis Enrique, under pressure at the Liga giants, cited the need for rest after announcing on Wednesday he would step down at the end of the campaign.
Bartomeu promised a huge coaching appointment for Barca when the time arrives in the close-season.
“This summer, we’ll get a super coach,” he told Barca TV .
“We’ll continue to work with total discretion, calmly and normally, until June 30 and then we will announce who it will be.
“We will try to announce his successor on July 1 and focus on the trophies at hand for now.”
Luis Enrique’s announcement came shortly after Barca had thrashed Sporting Gijon 6-1 in LaLiga.
???? @jmbartomeu: “We accept Luis Enrique’s decision. He has been a great a coach. Now is it time to end his spell in the best possible way” pic.twitter.com/9DAqxDmZTC— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) March 1, 2017
The Spaniard has led the club to back-to-back league and Copa del Rey crowns, as well as the 2014-15 Champions League.
Bartomeu said: “We have to be very happy for the work he has done until now, and accept his decision and hope that the season finishes in the best way possible, with winning trophies.
“In the summer, he told [sporting director] Robert Fernandez and [director] Albert Soler that he might not continue and this week he told us and he considered it the right time to communicate it to the players.
“He only told the players after the game and everyone is sad because he’s given us a lot of success and he can still win more trophies.
“He’s given us a great vision of the team and that continues. He’s one of the great coaches in Barca history and there are still three months to go, in which he’ll need the support of everyone.”
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