Barca quickly deny Martino resignation rumours

Andy West 11:48 18/03/2014
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  • Troubled times: Barca boss Tata Martino is under increasing pressure.

    Barcelona last night moved swiftly to angrily and emphatically deny reports that manager Tata Martino has decided to leave the Nou Camp at the end of the season.

    Although recently appointed Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu has repeatedly stated his happiness with his manager’s work and insisted he wants to offer a new contract to the Argentine boss, Martino’s future has been the subject of speculation in recent weeks.

    The former Newell’s Old Boys coach is believed to be frustrated by the wildly exaggerated reactions to every result encountered by his team, with victories routinely greeted by jubilant claims that Barca are untouchable whereas any defeats lead to a bout of morbid negativity and finger-pointing.

    It has also been a difficult season off the pitch, with Neymar’s hotly disputed summer transfer from Santos resulting in the club being formally charged with tax evasion and president Sandro Rosell being forced into resigning.

    Speaking on Catalan television channel Esport3, journalist Jordi Grau stated that Martino has already informed the club that he will leave his post at the end of May “even if the club wins the treble”. That claim was backed up by former FIFA agent Josep Maria Minguella, who appeared on Spanish radio station Cadena Cope to insist that Martino informed the club of his decision 10 days ago.

    Sources in South America are reporting that current Argentina boss Alejandro Sabella already knows he will leave his position following this summer’s World Cup Finals, with Martino supposedly in a straight race with Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone to replace him.

    However, Barca were quick to respond to the allegations, with vice president of communications Manel Arroyo blasting: “It’s false. “We completely reject suggestions that Tata Martino has communicated to his staff or to anyone else that he has decided to leave the club at the end of the season.”

    With a potentially La Liga-deciding Clasico trip to league leaders Real Madrid coming up in just five days, the furore comes at a particularly bad time for Barca and their quest to retain the Spanish title.

    But Arroyo added: “Martino is completely focussed on the challenge of taking the team forward. Nobody has any intention of activating the clause which would allow his contract to be broken.”

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