FC Barcelona: Who should replace Ernesto Valverde if he gets sacked?

Ernesto Valverde's time at Barcelona can be summed up as boring in one word. Defensive tactics have constantly held back the team from reaching its true potential given the talent pool the squad boasts of. His team selection is rarely exciting, hasn't brought any youth players through as such and has failed in the Champions League, his main test in the season.

It is safe to say that Valverde has been really lucky this season to find his team in the position they are currently. Top of the table in La Liga with a comfortable five-point cushion. Back in September, Barcelona had gone a whopping 4 games without a win, getting three draws and being humbled 2-1, by lowly Leganes. If not for an even more dismal start to the season from Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid, Valverde would have found himself under a lot more pressure.

Phillipe Coutinho, on whom the club spent a whopping £142 million on, finds himself at the fringes of the squad with the manager unable to devise a way to get the players he has. Now rumoured to be on his way out, Valverde is the one to be blamed for this colossal mismanagement of the club's most expensive signing.

Valverde and the board together are trying to make Barcelona go the Real Madrid route of galactico signings. First Dembele, then Coutinho, Barcelona is now constantly linked with only big name signings which were a rarity in the past. The style of play in unwatchable at times. Valverde has successfully taken Barcelona's philosophy and flushed it down the toilet.

If not for the form that Suarez and Messi are in, Barcelona would have ended the season with a mediocre midtable finish. He hasn't been able to fix the team's defensive issues either with the team conceding 20 goals already. In contrast, Barcelona conceded 29 in the whole of last season.

Valverde has done the bare minimum and won trophies that Barcelona would be expected to win, with the squad it boasts of. In Europe, where Valverde's lack of courage is on clear display, it's on show why he isn't cut out for a club of the stature of Barcelona.

That being said, it is just a matter of time before he gets the sack and here are 3 managers who'd bring back beautiful football to Camp Nou.

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#1 Quique Setien

Real Betis have been a revelation this season, inconsistent at times, but always putting on a show for their fans. Fast, fluid and exciting would be a short description of the football that is being played under the tutelage of Quique Setien.

A tactician in his playing days, he holds his principles and footballing philosophy close to his heart. A rarity to see his side sit back and play defensive football, no matter who their opponents are. A high-risk approach no doubt, but when it all falls into place, it is a work of art.

Beautiful football will make a come back with his arrival

Setien's side usually lineup in a 3-5-2 formation and occasionally shifting to a 4-3-3 for the odd game. Usually, Mandi and Sidnie play on either side of the ball playing Batra who is responsible for passing the ball to the midfielders or carrying the ball forward and playing long balls to the marauding full-backs, Francis Guerro and Junior Firpo. Guardado and Carvalho sit in midfield, allowing Lo Celso to make forward runs and join in the build-up of play.

A prime example of this was their 4-3 victory of Barcelona at the Camp Nou. Setien came with a plan and his side executed it to perfection. Stretching the defensive and overpowering the midfield, he came and exposed everything wrong in Valverde's system.

Although Setien's style of play costs them at times, it is down to the fact that he doesn't have the quality of players to play this style of football for the entire game. His style of play with Barcelona's squad could only mean beautiful football and trophies.

Here's an example of the kind of football that is being played by Betis.

#2 Giovanni van Bronckhorst

Many would remember the player who ran tirelessly and scored absolute bangers with that magical left foot of his. Having hung up his boots in 2010, Gio slowly and steadily made his way by the ladder to being the Feyenoord's manager for four years now. His contract will be up soon and Barcelona's board should be looking for a possible return of a genuine fan favourite.

Having led Feyenoord to the title, is Barcelona the next step?

At Feyenoord, under Gio's guidance, they play typical Dutch football. Everybody in their position, wingers stay wide and hug the touchline. One sitting player in front of the defence, attacking through the middle and looking to overload the front with midfielders pushing up. Expansive, attacking but still solid at the back.

With Gio at the helm, Feyenoord won the league after an 18-year long barren run back in the 2016/17 season. In just his second year as a manager, he brought back the glory days of the Rotterdam side. He has a knack of getting the right balance between the ageing stars and the younger players breaking into the first team. Back then it was Dirk Kuyt, currently, it is Robin Van Persie.

Given the ageing players in the current Barcelona squad with the likes of Messi, Suarez, Busquets and Pique all on the wrong side of thirty, he would be better suited to handling everyone's game time.

Spending time at the club, he knows the pressure and would be up for it.

#3 Ronald Koeman

It would be nostalgic to have a man like him to come back to the club. The scorer of the wonderful freekick that won Barcelona it's first European title back in 1992. A part of the famed Cruyff "Dream Team" Koeman would instantly raise the spirits of everyone associated with the club.

A legend on the field, legend on the touchline as well?

The former Barcelona assistant manager has carved out a respectable career for himself. The most experienced of the three here, the 55-year-old has managed 9 clubs in 4 countries and now manages the Dutch National team. 8 trophies in his cabinet, it may be time for him to finally manage one of the big boys of European football.

Currently, the Dutch side seems rejuvenated since he took over the reins back in February of last year. Since then they have topped their group in the UEFA Nations League in spite of being drawn with France and Germany. Getting the best out of the youngsters in the side like Matthijs de Ligt, Frenkie de Jong, and Kenny Tete among others.

An experienced coach with such deep ties with the club would be a valuable addition to the club. Everton's great showings off late have come off of a foundation laid by Koeman while his absence is clearly felt at Southampton as they're struggling to get away from a relegation battle.

A calm, tactically sound manager who would get everyone at the club excited is the kind of shot in the arm needed to forget the boring football the fans in Camp Nou have to endure under Valverde.