LaLiga: Ernesto Valverde leaves Athletic Bilbao

Head coach Ernesto Valverde has left Athletic Bilbao just one week before Barcelona will announce the name of the coach who will replace Luis Enrique at Camp Nou. Barcelona will play the Copa del Rey final on Saturday against Alaves, and president Josep Maria Bartolomeu has revealed that the new head coach will be presented two days after that match. Ernesto Valverde, who has featured for Barcelona as a player, was linked with the Barcelona job by the Spanish media and the decision to leave Athletic Bilbao confirms the rumours. Athletic have not commented on the situation, they just released a very short statement: "Ernesto Valverde will not continue as coach of the first team of Athletic Club in the 2017-18 campaign." Valverde, aged 53, has enjoyed a successful spell at Bilbao, leading the club to four consecutive top-seven finishes in LaLiga, a Copa del Rey final and the quarter-finals of the Europa League. He also brought Athletic Bilbao their only piece of silverware in thirty years after beating Barcelona 5-1 on aggregate in the Spanish Super Cup in 2015. Before the current spell at Bilbao, he managed Valencia, Olympiakos and Villarreal. Barcelona are 1/1 at Betway to win the title in LaLiga next season.