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Barcelona have identified possible Luis Enrique replacement following Paris Saint-Germain defeat

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Luis Enrique has certainly done himself no favours if he wishes to remain Barcelona manager beyond the end of the season.

The Spaniard's current deal runs out at the end of the campaign and Tuesday night's 4-0 defeat at the hands
of Paris Saint-Germain has certainly put his future under threat.

It was a result that no one saw coming, as the Parisians played Barcelona at their own game and got their rewards.


Former Real Madrid man Angel Di Maria scored twice, while Julian Draxler and Edinson Cavani also got on the scoresheet to leave Barcelona facing a last-16 exit for the first time in 10 years.

Uncharacteristically, Messi was picked out as one of the Catalan giants' biggest failures on the night, and Barcelona's unthankful task going into the return leg at the Camp Nou could lead to Enrique being shown the door at the end of the campaign.

It's certainly one of the downfalls of management - a single result could define a manager's future - and it seems the reigning La Liga champions are not going to afford their current predicament to worsen.
Defining period for Barcelona

While their hopes of a sixth Champions League crown are all but over, retaining La Liga will also be reliant on bitter rivals Real Madrid slipping up significantly over the remainder of the campaign, as Los Blancos boast a one-point lead with two games in hand.

That could leave Barcelona with just the Copa del Rey to fight for, come the end of the season, if they can't produce a miraculous turn around against PSG and overhaul Real's lead at the top of La Liga.

For Barca, however, that will simply not do and the Telegraph have revealed that Sevilla boss Jorge Sampaoli is being considered to succeed Enrique during the summer.

The Argentine was a serious candidate to take over at Chelsea this campaign but was apparently beaten to the post by Antonio Conte because of his poor English language skills.

Sampaoli, though, has been identified as someone who could thrive at Barcelona, after the 56-year-old took over from Unai Emery during the summer and has continued to push the club forwards - both domestically and in Europe.
Sampaoli's Sevilla success

Sevilla have been a surprise package in Spain this season and currently sit third in La Liga, having finished seventh last campaign, while they face a last-16 Champions League tie against Premier League champions Leicester City.

Sampaoli has also previously guided Chile to their first Copa America title, after beating favourites Argentina in the 2015 final.

The Argentine, who has a contract with Sevilla until 2018, last month said of potentially replacing Enrique: “Luis Enrique is a winner, he is respected and loved by the fans.

"If he leaves, there will be an enormous list of candidates. I see it very far away, although the good moment of Sevilla means that people look at their coach.”

Former Barcelona star and now Everton boss Ronald Koeman is also understood to be another candidate for the Camp Nou hot seat.

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