Juan Carlos Unzue gaining support to replace Luis Enrique at Barcelona
Luis Enrique will leave the job when his contract expires at the end of June
Thing have been so busy at Barcelona on the pitch that it's almost been forgotten they're looking for a new manager for next season.
Barça had plans laid out depending on what happened against PSG and but for the remarkable comeback there would now be much more focus on looking for the man to replace Luis Enrique.
Alive in the Champions League, La Liga and in the Copa del Rey final, though, means that things are not the same.
And with that context, today, right now (it's another thing what could happen in the coming weeks) Luis Enrique's assistant Juan Carlos Unzue is strongly entering the race.
It's a possibility SPORT reported several weeks ago before Lucho's goodbye. It's an option which is well liked at FC Barcelona, both on Arístides Maillol, in the offices, and in the bowels of Camp Nou and the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper, where everything is cooked up in the week.
Yes, Unzue has the backing of a large part of the board, although that will never come out officially, even though they give their opinion in their closest circles. And also, and perhaps the most important, he has support in the dressing room where he's appreciated for his extensive tactical knowledge and professional nature.
It would be a repeat of Pep Guardiola passing the torch to Tito Vilanova. A decision which surprised at first but soon took on reason and appeared the natural, logical choice.
Luis Enrique, it goes without saying, would back the decision. It's even been suggested in some forums that if Unzue is chosen, it's possible he would bring in Andoni Goikoetxea, the winger converted to a full-back by Johan Cruyff.
No decision has been taken, of course, and the other names on the table should not be ruled out: Ernesto Valverde, Ronald Koeman and Sampaoli.
Sporting director Robert Fernández is in no rush. There's a lot going on on the pitch at the moment and there will be time to analyse other things in the coming weeks with a cooler head.
