Ronald Koeman frontrunner for Barcelona job with Quique Setien set to be sacked

Mauricio Pochettino also a strong candidate with Laurent Blanc, Xavi and Garcia Pimienta also under consideration

Mauricio Pochettino is also a strong candidate for the Barcelona job

Ronald Koeman is the frontrunner to replace Quique Setien as Barcelona manager.

Setien is expected to be sacked in a meeting with technical director Eric Abidal within the next few days following the humiliating 8-2 defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals..

Barca would need to pay compensation to get Koeman out of his current role as Netherlands head coach.

Ex-Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino is also a strong candidate. He is the preferred choice of director Ramon Planes, with whom he worked at Espanyol.

However, the potential appointment of Pochettino has been met with opposition from 'El Entorno' - a term coined by Johan Cruyff in 1992 to describe the 'environment' of influential media and fans surrounding the team.

Pochettino is said to be interested in the job despite distancing himself in the past because of his legacy with Espanyol.

He recently did an interview with Spanish newspaper El Pais in which he tried to make amends for previous comments. Pochettino was a prominent player and then head coach at Espanyol.

Some members of the Barca board also hold out hope of convincing Xavi to return to the club. He is currently in charge at Qatari side Al Sadd.

Other names in the frame include Laurent Blanc, who is another ex-Barca player, and Barca B head coach Garcia Pimienta.

"We can't compete like that, you can't play like that in Europe. It is not the first time, the second time or the third time, it's very tough. I hope it is useful for something," defender Gerard Pique told the club's website after Friday's defeat.

"Now everyone has to have a good look at themselves, the Club needs change and I am not talking about the coach or the players, I am not pointing the finger at anyone.

"Nobody is safe ตารางบอลวันนี้ , I am the first to say that I will go if new blood has to come in, I am the first to leave. We have to have real look internally about what is best for the club."

"The elections are really prominent now in what happens at Barcelona. The elections are in a year's time. Nobody is happy with the current board of people who run it, particularly Jose Bartomeu the president. He will be voted out. He can't stay any longer anyway.