Barcelona have confirmed the sacking of coach Ernesto Valverde and announced the signing of former Real Betis boss Quique Setien in his place.
A change had been on the cards since Barca CEO Oscar Grau and sporting director Eric Abidal travelled to Qatar for talks with Xavi on Friday, in the aftermath of the club's 3-2 Supercopa defeat to Atletico in Saudi Arabia the previous day.
And even though no agreement could be reached for the club’s former midfielder to take over, the 39-year-old expressed an interest in moving in the summer.
Barca were then keen to find an option for the remainder of the season and considered both Ronald Koeman and Mauricio Pochettino, but finally signed Setien on a two-and-half year deal, bringing to end Valverde’s tenure of exactly that amount of time.
Valverde was appointed in the summer of 2017 and won back-to-back LaLiga titles, but had been under scrutiny following Champions League collapses against Roma in his first season and Liverpool last term.
Thursday's 3-2 loss to Atletico Madrid in the Spanish Supercopa semi-finals in Saudi Arabia turned out to be the last straw for Barca and the club announced his exit in a statement on Monday.
The former Athletic Club, Valencia, Villarreal, Espanyol and Olympiacos coach oversaw 145 games in his spell at Camp Nou, winning 97 and losing just 16 of those.
As well as the two LaLiga titles, he also led Barca to a Copa del Rey and a Spanish Supercopa – both in 2018.
He leaves with Barca ahead of Real Madrid on goal difference after 19 rounds of LaLiga and after steering the club into the knockout stages of the Champions League as group winners, with a last-16 tie against Napoli ahead in February and March.
