Skip to content

Former Barcelona assistant Juan Carlos Unzue named Celta Vigo manager

BARCELONA, SPAIN - APRIL 15: Assistant coach Juan Carlos Unzue of FC Barcelona looks on before the La Liga match between FC Barcelona and Real Sociedad de
Image: Juan Carlos Unzue has been named as the new Celta Vigo manager

Juan Carlos Unzue has returned to Celta Vigo to succeed Eduardo Berizzo as boss, further narrowing the field of candidates for the vacancy at Barcelona.

Berizzo, who is expected to take over at Sevilla following Jorge Sampaoli's imminent departure for Argentina, left Celta at the end of a season in which the Galicians reached the semi-finals of the Europa League and finished 13th in La Liga.

Unzue - the assistant to Luis Enrique at Barca until the pair left the Nou Camp this weekend - has signed a two-year deal at Balaidos, Celta announced on their official website on Sunday.

Barcelona's coach Luis Enrique (L) chats with Barcelona's second coach Juan Carlos Unzue
Image: The former goalkeeper was most recently assistant to Luis Enrique at Barcelona

The 50-year-old former goalkeeper had been touted as a long-term successor to Enrique in Catalonia, but his appointment as Celta head coach would appear to leave Ernesto Valverde in the clear to take charge of Barca.

The Copa del Rey winners will announce their new manager on Monday and Valverde, who left Athletic Bilbao last week, is the front-runner with the likes of Sampaoli and Diego Simeone recently ruling themselves out of contention.

Also See:

Ronald Koeman, Laurent Blanc and Arsene Wenger have also been linked.

Around Sky