3 Realistic Luis Enrique Replacements For Barcelona – 2 PL Managers In The List

Current Barcelona manager Luis Enrique has hinted that he might leave the Catalans after this season. After having refused to hold talks over a new contract the former AS Roma manager sent out a cryptic message indicating that he might be considering stepping down as Barca manager. Enrique, who took over the reins in 2014-15, won the La Liga title, the Copa del Rey and the Champions League in his first season at the helm and managed to retain the Spanish top division title last year as well along with another Copa triumph. However, they are three points behind league leaders and bitter rivals Real Madrid this term in the La Liga, which has brought on some pressure on the former Madrid and Barcelona midfielder.

And with the news of his rumoured exit hitting the tabloids, we take a look at three possible replacements who Barca could appoint if Enrique does leave the Camp Nou in the near future:

3. Ronald Koeman

The Dutch manager has caught everyone’s eyes in the Premier League with his impressive tenure at Southampton that earned him a move to Everton in the summer. Koeman, a disciple of the Barcelona footballing ideologies and principles, played a huge role in the Saints resurgence in the English top flight in the last two seasons. And he has done a decent job at the Goodison Park so far this season, despite recent results not going his team’s way.

His teams are known to have an attack minded approach and play a fluid brand of football while remaining solid at the back. The things he has done with the squad that he has had at Southampton and Everton indicate that he may be well capable of achieving greater heights with the squad that would be at his disposal at Camp Nou. And add to that his history and relations with the Catalans, having spent close to ten years as a part of Johan Cruyff’s team, and then working as assistant manager under Louis Van Gaal, Koeman could the perfect person to replace Enrique at Barcelona.

2. Phillip Cocu

Having had a decent domestic success with PSV Eindhoven and possessing a good understanding of the system and philosophies of the Dutch and Barcelona style of playing, Phillip Cocu could be a contender to replace Enrique at the Camp Nou.

Cocu was appointed as an interim manager of PSV in 2012 when he won the KNVB Cup before getting the job permanently in the subsequent season. The 46-year old led the Dutch side to two consecutive Eredivisie titles in 2014/15 and 2015/16 seasons. Cocu possesses a calm demeanour and has shown the pedigree that is needed of a big manager in the past. And his experience playing for the Catalans for six seasons could definitely benefit him. But the job at Barcelona isn’t easy by any means and his appointment could prove to be a risky choice.

1. Mauricio Pochettino

This could prove to be a left-field choice for Barcelona, indicating a move away from their well-established style of play. But Pochettino has done very well in the English top flight over the past three seasons and has turned his current team, Tottenham, into title contenders during his time at the White Hart Lane.

Pochettino’s teams are a good blend of attacking enterprise and defensive solidity and he has shown in the past that he is unafraid of blooding young players, that does fall in with Barcelona’s methods. His experience in Spain as manager of Espanyol will definitely count as a positive for him, but that could also turn to be a negative with the rivalry between Barca and Espanyol. There is a lot of interest in the Argentine with Real Madrid and Paris St. Germain also looking at him, but he could prove to be the right man to take Barcelona forward if Enrique steps down.