Menotti favourite for Barcelona job

Former Argentina World Cup-winning coach Cesar Luis Menotti was the favourite to take over from sacked Dutch coach Louis van Gaal as the new Barcelona boss.

Thursday's edition of the Vanguardia daily said Barcelona president Joan Gaspart had called Menotti in Buenos Aires and the 64-year-old was expected here Friday to sign a deal.

Carlos Rexach had been named as caretaker coach but Gaspart felt he was not up to the job of lifting Barcelona out of their worst domestic run since the war.

Rexach and Tono de la Cruz shared the coaching responsibilities in Wednesday night's friendly in Lisbon against Benfica which Barcelona won.

Rexach, who has been caretaker manager four times previously, was sacked as Barcelona coach last May after they lost a Champions League semi-final to bitter rivals Real Madrid.

Menotti, whose Argentine side won the 1978 World Cup, coached Barcelona in 1982-84 and despite having Diego Maradona and Bernd Schuster in his side failed to win the league.

But Menotti could claim he was cheated of glory by the Butcher of Bilbao. In successive seasons Barcelona had to do without first Schuster and then Maradona, both victims of Athletic Bilbao's controversial defender Andoni Goikoetxea.

Former Spain World Cup coach Jose Antonio Camacho, currently coaching Benfica, had been ruled out because of his long past as a player with Real Madrid.

Former Atletico Madrid and Luton manager Radomir Antic had also been linked with the job while former Barcelona and Real Madrid play-maker Gheorghe Hagi had faxed the club offering his services.

Paris St Germain coach Luis Fernandes, who had a successful spell at Athletic Bilbao, was also reported to be in the running.

Barcelona were also reported to be set to sign Argentine defenders Gabriel Milito from Buenos Aires club Independiente and Juan Pablo Sorin from Italian side Lazio to shore up a leaking defence.

Van Gaal left Tuesday after just eight months in charge at the Nou Camp.

Barcelona have won all 10 of their Champions League matches this term but that was not enough for the Barca fans who called for van Gaal's head after Sunday's 2-0 defeat by Celta Vigo left them 20 points adrift of leaders Real Sociedad.

Barcelona have had 10 managers in the last 20 years and Rexach, Johan Cruyff's right-hand man in 1988-96, has been called on four times already to fill the gap when the board of directors and fans lost patience with unsuccessful coaches.