Report: Ronald Koeman wants Hyderabad FC head coach Albert Roca at Barcelona

The 57-year-old has previously worked for the La Liga giants for five seasons between 2003-08.

Indian Super League (ISL) outfit Hyderabad FC have been dealt a major blow ahead of the upcoming 2020-21 season, as it has emerged that Albert Roca, their head coach, has been reached out to by FC Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman, who has asked him if he is willing to be a part of the coaching staff at the La Liga club, reports TOI.

It has only been a week since Koeman, who was previously the head coach of the Netherlands national team, quit his job with them to sign a two-year deal with Barcelona. He replaced Quique Setien who was sacked just a couple of days after the club suffered an embarrassing 8-2 defeat against Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals. To add insult to Barca's injury, Bayern went on to win the coveted trophy for the sixth time in history, eclipsing the Catalans' record of five UCL wins till date.

Following his appointment with the Blaugrana, Ronald Koeman has been assigned the daunting task of executing a complete squad overhaul. He already has the support of the club's assistant managers Alfred Schreuder and Henrik Larsson, but as per the latest reports, he also wants Albert Roca to be a part of his coaching staff at Camp Nou.

Albert Roca already has the experience of working at Barcelona, having plied his trade there for five seasons between 2003-08 before following Dutch manager Frank Rijkaard to the Turkish club Galatasaray and then Saudi Arabia.

Meanwhile, Hyderabad FC are yet to comment on the situation, although a senior club official revealed to Times of India that they are waiting for more information for clarity. "Yes, there is an offer (from Barcelona), but we are waiting for more clarity. This is in the early stages and we expect to know more about this on Tuesday. We don't know how to react to this," the official said.

"Obviously, it's a big opportunity for Roca to go to Barcelona, but Hyderabad FC have to look at their own interest too. The club depends a lot on Roca. This is not an easy decision. We are hoping we can find an amicable solution."

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Hyderabad FC finished at the bottom of the ISL table in the 2019-20 season, having managed just two wins and four draws (10 points) from their 18 league matches. On January 11, 2020, they sacked Phil Brown before roping in Albert Roca who did fairly well at Bengaluru FC, having led the side to the AFC Cup final.

The 57-year-old tactician has a two-year contract with Hyderabad FC, till May 2022. That said, it remains to be seen whether they can keep him with them against his wishes, if he expresses a desire to join FC Barcelona.

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