Breaking:Tata Martino steps down as Barcelona manager

Barcelona manager, Tata Martino (picture above and below) has announced that he will be stepping down from his position as the manager of FC Barcelona, after just one year in charge. Read more below:

Following his side’s 1-1 draw at the Camp Nou on Saturday afternoon, giving Atletico Madrid their first La Liga title in almost two decades, Martino began his post-match press conference by announcing that he will be leaving the club effective immediately.

“I’d like to announce that I’m leaving my position as manager of FC Barcelona.”

“I want to express my thanks to the club, to the president, to Sandro Rosell and to Zubizarreta.”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t get to achieve our objectives with the lads in the team. We tried with all our dignity. We’ve all worked together with great and cordial manner. I am left with their superb human qualities, which is priceless.”

“Barcelona is a club of great prestige within them, because they’re all genuinely admirable players. It has been a privilege to manager this club. Great things and great times will return to this club.”

Martino took over as manager of Barcelona late last summer, following the resignation of the recently deceased Tito Vilanova, and was heavily criticised for his style of play and accussed of breaking away from Barcelona’s tiki-taka style of possession play.

In line with the criticisms of the team’s style of play, Barcelona failed to win a single significant trophy following their Spanish SuperCopa victory in August, being eliminated from the Champions League in the quarterfinal round by Atletico Madrid, losing the Copa del Rey final to Real Madrid and finally losing the La Liga title to Atletico Madrid on Saturday.

It has been widely expected that former Barcelona B and Celta Vigo manager, Luis Enrique, will be next in line for the job, which was all but confirmed when it was revealed that a secret meeting had been held between sporting director, Andoni Zubizarreta and Enrique at the coaches home outside of Barcelona two weeks ago.

Luis Enrique announced he would be leaving his position with Celta Vigo in his final press conference on Friday, making Martino’s fate all but certain.

Martino’s reign was short-lived and will be recognised as a transitional period, while the Argentine has been linked with several coaching positions, including La Liga side Málaga and the Argentine national team job, after the World Cup.