In the grand scheme of things you have to say that Ronald Koeman has done some brilliant work this season, and Barcelona should benefit that and build on it for years to come.
What isn’t so clear is where he actually fits into the long-term plan, and there have been plenty of suggestions that he may not be there next season.
He is still under contract so Barca would need to actively sack him, but there’s no doubt that the disastrous end to the season where they threw the La Liga title away have really hurt him.
He is still the manager for now, but it’s been reported that he and his representative have arrived for talks tonight and his future will be high on the agenda:
It’s hard to tell if these talks are as black and white as Koeman trying to convince the board that he is the man to stay, as it could be that the main discussions are around recruitment and where the club go from here.
It would be a big surprise if he is sacked as there’s no sign that a replacement is lined up, but hopefully his future does become clearer after these talks are held.
UPDATE:
Reports are now emerging following the meeting, and it looks like Koeman will be staying on for at least one more year, but it’s not officially confirmed yet: