Barcelona President Confirms Ernesto Valverde Will Remain as Manager Next Season

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has confirmed that Ernesto Valverde will remain as manager of the Camp Nou side next season.

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has confirmed that Ernesto Valverde will remain as manager of the Camp Nou side next season.

Valverde is currently in the second year of his two-year deal, but does have an option in his contract for it to be extended for another season.

With speculation intensifying about the Catalan giants possibly cutting ties with the Spaniard, club president Bartomeu was quick to insist that Valverde retains the backing of the board and will remain in the dugout for the next campaign.

Speaking to Sport, Bartomeu revealed: "We don't have any doubts here that Valverde will be the Barcelona coach next season. We will speak with him, of course, in time. That's what we agreed. 

"He's a coach we have a lot of confidence in. He's doing a great job. He's an intelligent person, he knows Barcelona's system of play and he manages the games in a way which we like."

Valverde became Barcelona manager in May 2017 when he arrived from Athletic Bilbao to replace the outgoing Luis Enrique.

Despite winning La Liga in his first full season in charge and enjoying a 43-match unbeaten run in the league, the Spaniard was criticised for Barcelona's shock exit in the Champions League quarter-final stage to AS Roma.

In his 88 games in charge of the Catalans, Valverde has presided over 61 victories, and this season has guided his team five points clear of Atletico Madrid in the league.