This archive report was first published on 14 January 2020.
Quique Setien, the newly appointed coach of Barcelona, expressed his gratitude and surprise at being given the opportunity to lead the club, describing it as beyond his wildest dreams.
Setien, who previously coached Real Betis, was unveiled at a press conference at the Camp Nou on Tuesday, after the club announced his appointment late on Monday to replace the sacked Ernesto Valverde.
"Not even in my wildest dreams could I have imagined being here," Setien said, visibly emotional. "Yesterday, I was walking past cows in my village, and today, I am at Barca, coaching the best players in the world. This is the pinnacle for me."
Setien's appointment comes after an impressive spell at Real Betis, which ended last summer, and with Barcelona currently top of La Liga. He will take charge of the team without Luis Suarez, who will need four months to recover from a knee injury, but will have the services of Lionel Messi, who has scored 16 goals in 20 games this season.
Barcelona's president, Josep Maria Bartomeu, admitted that the dismissal of Valverde should have been handled better and revealed that Setien's contract until June 2022 contains a break clause, which means he can be removed in 2021 after the club's presidential elections.
Setien's dedication to a possession-based style of football has earned him a reputation as a purist, and he has vowed to stay true to his beliefs in exciting, attacking football.
