Unzue presents his candidacy for the Barcelona job

As if they were the primaries of the PSOE, the aspirants to the Barcelona coaching job are getting in position. Some, like Valverde, have given up their chance. Others, like Sampaoli, are still posturing although have a lack of support. And the big favourite of the party (/club), Unzue, is maintaining official silence but is still working inside and out to be the chosen one. He has the support of the man he will replace—Luis Enrique would love for him to take over. He has the goodwill of a lot of the players (not all of them). He would be a calm change, which the board likes as they don’t like to make too much fuss. And he would be looked on with good eyes by a lot of the environment that surrounds Barcelona. He played with Cruyff and coached with Guardiola. With this he has already won a lot of ground.

Unzue feels prepared to take on the challenge of coaching Barcelona. This he has told anybody, confidentially, who will listen to him. His brother too, the manager of the cycling team Movistar, is speaking about his chances. “I’m impressed by his ability and the confidence he has in himself. He’s not scared by anything.” And that includes revealing details about the dressing room. “Some of the sacred cows are by his side.” Definitive. Unzue is the ideal substitute for Luis Enrique. Although, until now, nobody has spoken about football. And in the end, that’s what matters. What football will Barcelona play with Unzue? That of Luis Enrique? Or Guardiola? Or Unzue’s own game? Or what the players want? Questions that the candidature of Unzue has not revealed yet. For now…