Barcelona announce return of van Gaal

Dutch coach Louis van Gaal will return to Barcelona on a two-year contract starting next season, club president Joan Gaspart announced on Monday. "Louis van Gaal will arrive in Barcelona on Thursday and will be presented as coach on Friday," Gaspart told a packed news conference at the Nou Camp.

"He's a professional, who had great sporting success in his time here. I'm sure he'll return with enormous desire to do well."

Van Gaal won two league titles in three years with the Spanish giants from 1997 to 2000, a period in charge marked by rows with high profile players and relentless criticism from media and fans.

"I'm sure a lot of people won't agree with this decision," Gaspart said. "Time will tell if it's the correct one.

"Above all questions of personality is the club, though, and we believe this is for the good of the club.

"After long conversations with (current coach Carles) Rexach we decided the best thing would be to make a change," Gaspart explained.

"I told van Gaal about my plan. He asked for a few days to think about it and in the end he accepted."

STUNNING FOOTBALL

Under van Gaal, Barcelona played some stunning football, particularly in his third season, when only a surprise Champions League semifinal defeat to Valencia denied them a chance to take on Real Madrid in the final.

After going out of Europe the team lost their league title to Deportivo Coruna on the final day of the season and van Gaal announced his decision to walk away.

He went on to coach the Dutch national team but failed to gain qualification for the World Cup finals.

Barcelona's form dipped alarmingly following van Gaal's departure, first under Llorenc Serra Ferrer and then under Rexach, who was alonside Gaspart at Monday's news conference.

In each of the last two campaigns the club have finished fourth in the league, making it through to the Champions League qualifiers only on the last day of the season, despite a huge outlay on players.

"Barcelona have taken this decision because van Gaal is a great coach," said Rexach.

"He knows the club, he's won titles here and he's coming to win more."

Van Gaal had signed a two-year contract extension in his final season but he opted to quit after the departure of president Josep Lluis Nunez, who had stuck by him despite his unpopularity.

Gaspart, who was voted in as Nunez's replacement in 2000, said he was confident there would be fewer problems second time round.

"It's true that he did have occasional problems with sections of the media," Gaspart said on Monday.

"His relationship with every aspect of the club will be different this time.