Barcelona president Josep Bartomeu confirms Ronald Koeman will be new boss ‘if nothing goes wrong’

Barcelona club president Josep Bartomeu has refused to resign as president of the club but has confirmed Ronald Koeman will be their new manager as long as ‘nothing goes wrong’.

The president gave a wide-ranging interview to Barcelona TV on Tuesday evening where he spoke about the future of the club.

There has been an inquest at the Camp Nou following Barcelona’s embarrassing 8-2 Champions League exit to Bayern Munich on Friday.

Josep Bartomeu discussed the club’s future following Barcelona’s 8-2 loss to Bayern Munich

Bartomeu says Ronald Koeman will be appointed as manager as long as ‘nothing goes wrong’ 

Bartomeu said that Koeman promised to him that Messi will be a ‘keystone’ for their future

Quique Setien was sacked on the back of the result, and Koeman who was pictured arriving into Barcelona on Tuesday morning is the man very likely to take the hotseat. 

And the Dutch manager has told Bartomeu that Lionel Messi is very much in his plans despite speculation the legendary forward is looking to leave the club.

The club’s president said: ‘Koeman is the one we’ve chosen. If nothing goes wrong he will be the head coach next season.

‘I have spoken with Koeman and the pillar of our project is Messi. He has a contract until 2021, I speak a lot with Leo and more regularly with his father.

‘He is number one in the world. There is no doubt that in Koeman’s new project you can count on Messi.  

Ousmane Dembele was one of seven players that Bartomeu insisted would remain at the club

Following the defeat to Bayern Munich, there have been reports that Barcelona would be willing to put many of its players up for sale. 

During the interview Bartomeu shut down talk of opening talks with Manchester United if they were interested in signing Ousmane Dembele.

In total he confirmed eight players who the club are not interested in selling.

He said:  ‘He’ll stay. Messi, Ter Stegen, Lenglet, Semedo, De Jong, Griezmann and Démbélé are not for sale.

‘We have offers for Ansu Fati but he is not for sale.’ 

Bartomeu said Phillipe Coutinho who is currently on loan can stay if Koeman wants him

The president also said that Phillipe Coutinho could remain at the Nou Camp as long as Koeman wanted to keep him. 

In what has been a turbulent week for the club, technical secretary Eric Abidal was reportedly fired, but Bartomeu told club TV that Abidal asked to leave and the club’s crisis is ‘sporting, not institutional’.

Regarding his own future, Bartomeu said ‘to resign now would be easy but irresponsible’.

Bartomeu is set to leave when the presidential elections are held which is currently scheduled for March 15 next year.