9/05/2008 7:59:30 AM
The long-running saga regarding Frank Rijkaard's future as Barcelona coach was finally brought to an end on Thursday when the Catalan giant announced the Dutchman would be replaced by Josep Guardiola at the end of the season.
With Barca struggling to match their on-field dominance of recent years, speculation has been rife throughout the current campaign about whether Rijkaard would extend his five-year stay at the Nou Camp beyond this summer.
Former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho, Villarreal coach Manuel Pellegrini and Michael Laudrup of Getafe were all mentioned as possible replacements for Rijkaard, but the man who recently emerged as favourite is the man who has been given the job - Guardiola.
Barca president Joan Laporta confirmed the managerial change during a press conference on Friday morning, announcing that Guardiola, a former Barca player and current coach of the reserves, will officially replace Rijkaard on June 30.
The declaration came just a day after Barca suffered a 4-1 humiliation at the hands of bitter rivals and newly-crowned champions Real Madrid, a result which means third-placed Barca can no longer claim a top-two finish in La Liga and an automatic place in next season's Champions League.
That defeat was a fresh blow for a Barca side which has now gone two seasons without any major silverware, but Laporta was still grateful to Rijkaard for the success he had previously brought the club.
Rijkaard, 45, joined Barca in 2003 and in his first three years won two league titles, the Champions League crown and two Spanish Super Cups.
"He has done an excellent job and has behaved superbly. We will remember Frank Rijkaard as the coach who led the recovery of the team and that in three years led to (Champions League) glory in Paris," Laporta said.
"The team's successes (under Rijkaard) should not be obscured by the results in the last few seasons. Therefore, we can conclude that Rijkaard has made history."
Rijkaard still had a year left on his contract but Laporta admitted it was time for a fresh face on the bench.
"It's the end of a cycle and the results haven't gone our way. It's proof that the mistakes we detected last year haven't been corrected," he said.
That fresh face is former club captain and fan favourite Guardiola.
The 37-year-old came through the youth ranks at his home-town club before making his senior Barca debut in the 1990-91 season.
During 11 seasons in the first team, the classy midfielder made 472 appearances and helped the club win a host of trophies, including Barca's first European Cup title, six league crowns, the European Cup Winners' Cup, and two Copa del Reys.
Playing as part of Barca's famous 'Dream Team', Guardiola featured alongside the likes of Romario, Ronald Koeman, Hristo Stoichkov, Luis Figo and Rivaldo during his time at the Nou Camp before leaving to join Italian side Brescia in 2001.
Not long after joining Brescia, Guardiola was handed a four-month ban by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) after testing positive for the banned substance nandrolone - something he was cleared of in 2007.
After leaving Brescia, the former Spain international played for Roma and in Qatar and Mexico before hanging up his playing boots in November 2006. He was named as the coach of Barcelona B in 2007.
"We believe in Guardiola to lead the new sporting project. He ensures renewed continuity of the football