Recently, the soccer world was hit with the striking news that Marquez, the head coach of FC Barcelona's B team, is leaving the team to take up a position as an assistant coach with the Mexican national team. The change not only surprised Barcelona fans, but also raised concerns in the soccer world about coaching turnover and contract details.
According to Mundo Deportivo, despite the fact that Barcelona had previously announced that they had completed a contract extension with Marquez, the two sides did not actually sign a formal contract document. The news was confirmed by sources close to Marquez, who told the media that the contract signing, which was scheduled for this weekend, was delayed and ultimately did not take place because Marquez was on vacation at the time. As a result, Marquez's contract with Barcelona officially expires on June 30th, and he will sign with the Mexican Football Federation as a free agent, without Barcelona receiving any form of compensation for doing so.
Marquez's role with the Mexican national team will be crucial. He will serve as an assistant coach to current national team manager Aguirre and will gradually take over the team over the next few years. According to the plan of the Mexican Football Federation, Marquez will automatically renew his contract with the Mexican Football Federation in 2026 and officially become the head coach of the national team, leading the team to impact the 2030 World Cup. This arrangement not only shows the Mexican Football Federation's recognition of Marquez's ability, but also paves a clear path for his future career.
The Mexican Football Federation also made several special arrangements in order to entice Marquez to join and ensure that he could focus on his work with the national team. First, they allowed Marquez to continue to live in Barcelona so that he could balance his family and personal life. Secondly, the Mexican FA created a release clause in the contract to prevent other clubs from poaching Marquez. These measures undoubtedly provided Marquez with a more stable and comfortable working environment.
With the departure of Marquez, the managerial position of Barcelona B has become vacant. According to Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona will likely have Belletti take over the position on an interim basis. Beletti, as an experienced coach, will take on the heavy responsibility of leading Barcelona's B team to continue to move forward. However, for Barcelona, how to plan and stabilize the team's coaching team in the long term is still a problem that needs to be solved.
