Overview of Barcelonas Managers in the 21st Century (Part 1)
FC Barcelona has a rich history spanning over a century and has won numerous trophies, establishing itself as one of the greatest clubs in the world. The club’s success not only relies on its players but also on the key figures behind the team, namely the coaches who have led the club. In this article, I will introduce the coaches of Barcelona since the 21st century.
Frank Rijkaard (2003–2008): 272 Matches | 159 Wins | 63 Draws | 50 Losses
During this period, the king of the Camp Nou was the Brazilian superstar Ronaldinho, and it was under Rijkaard’s leadership that a young Lionel Messi was promoted to the first team. Under Rijkaard, Barcelona won La Liga titles in the 2004/05 and 2005/06 seasons, and in 2006, they secured their second-ever UEFA Champions League trophy.
However, by the 2006/07 season, Barcelona’s performance declined dramatically. Without any major trophies and with internal locker room conflicts, Rijkaard’s tenure came to an end. He briefly managed Galatasaray and the Saudi Arabian national team before retiring from coaching in 2014, ending his managerial career.
Pep Guardiola (2008–2012): 247 Matches | 179 Wins | 47 Draws | 21 Losses
After Frank Rijkaard’s departure, Barcelona promoted Pep Guardiola from the B team to head coach of the first team. At the time, Guardiola was a first-time manager, and many, both inside and outside the club, were skeptical of his appointment. During one of the early training sessions, a 21-year-old Lionel Messi made his presence felt by openly drinking a Coke, despite Guardiola’s strict ban on players consuming it. However, Guardiola quickly silenced his critics with results. In just under four years, he led Barcelona to 12 titles, including two UEFA Champions League trophies. In the 2008-09 season, he made history by achieving an unprecedented sextuple – winning the Copa del Rey, La Liga, UEFA Champions League, Spanish Super Cup, UEFA Super Cup, and the FIFA Club World Cup.
Tito Vilanova (2012-2013): 44 Matches | 36 Wins | 3 Draws | 5 Losses
After Guardiola’s departure, Tito Vilanova took over as Barcelona’s head coach. In the 2012-13 season, he led the team to the La Liga title with a remarkable 100-point record. At the time, Lionel Messi was on the verge of leaving Barcelona, but after Vilanova’s persuasion, Messi decided to stay. Unfortunately, Vilanova had to step down from his role to focus on his battle with parotid cancer. On April 25, 2014, Vilanova passed away from the illness.
Gerardo Martino (2013-2014): 59 matches | 40 Wins | 11 Draws | 8 Losses
Compared to his predecessors, Gerardo Martino was much less well-known and lacked advanced tactical ideas, which led to significant criticism, especially from the La Masia players in the dressing room. As a result, the Argentine coach left Barcelona in less than a year. However, Martino maintained a strong relationship with Lionel Messi throughout his tenure.
