“I informed the club a few days ago that I intended not to renew my contract.” Thus Jonatan Giraldez This Monday he publicly announced his decision to leave the FC Barcelona bench at the end of this season after accepting a professional offer that fulfills his purpose of “growing personally and professionally.”
It is a decision that he revealed a few days ago to those responsible for the women’s Barça and that he had no intention of explaining yet, but the information published by different media, including EL PERIÓDICO, altered these plans. “I wanted to warn in advance, be transparent and avoid misunderstandings,” said the coach of the Women’s Barça, who did not want to specify what his next destination will be. “It won’t be Europe. It’s important for me not to compete against Barça. The club is above everything.”
“After the information that came out last week I am forced to come forward and explain what happened,” Giráldez began by saying, who confirmed his plans to leave Barça to the Barça dressing room just the day this newspaper expressed his desire to leave. change professional direction.
🎙 Jonatan Giráldez:
❝This is an important decision that will help me become a better person and professional. It’s difficult to leave out Barça❞ pic.twitter.com/7Nc2nMviD0
— FC Barcelona Femení (@FCBfemeni) December 18, 2023
The 32-year-old coach from Vigo clarified that “I am not worn out. Not at all. I enjoy it a lot. I have a magnificent relationship with the players, with the staff, with those responsible for the section… I am very happy to be here, for the aspiration to win all the titles, that’s why I consider myself lucky, and that’s why I have to say thank you, starting with the president, who asked me to continue until the end of his term, in 2026, something that was very important for me because it gave me strength as a coach.
Giráldez denied that his departure has to do with a downward offer from the club. “I was very happy with the offer I received, I felt valued, it was very good and attractive, for me and for the staff. It’s not going that way, everything is fine,” he said.
“I’m not worn out. Not at all. I enjoy it a lot. And I have to thank the president, who asked me to continue until the end of his term, in 2026, something that was very important for me because it gave me strength as a coach.”
He denied, therefore, that his departure has to do with economic reasons. “If it were only for money I would have left sooner, because I already received much higher offers, but I value many other things. Maybe when I am 10 or 15 years old I will value the economic part. The stimulus that comes to me in the future pushes me to leave that comfort zone. It is difficult to have to leave, but it is the best possible decision on a personal and professional level.”
Substitute for Lluís Cortés
Jonatan Giráldez took over the reins of Barça two seasons ago, replacing Lluís Cortés, for whom he was his second coach, and since then he has won the F League two consecutive years and managed to win the Champions League last season in Eindhoven, making up for the defeat in the previous European final in Turin. He also added the Queen’s Cup and the Spanish Super Cup in 2021 in his first year as head coach, where he accumulated 30 victories. That same year he signed his renewal until the summer of 2024.
🎙 Press shoot by Jonatan Giráldez:
❝We will soon inform the club of our intention not to renew my contract❞ pic.twitter.com/VSr1behkoF
— FC Barcelona Femení (@FCBfemeni) December 18, 2023
But the offer he received made him change his plans. “When you get a job offer, you weigh what you can earn and what you can’t earn, and because of my concern to grow, to be more prepared in life, at 32 years old, I put everything in context, and after the fatherhood, I think it is a change that could be very good for us. And I will surely appreciate it in the future.”
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How would you like to be remembered? they asked him. “As a person committed to his work, who always tries to give my best version and be professional until the last day, and a person who explains things in the clearest way possible and as a coach who has helped a lot to the Barça section “.
The Barça entity has to start finding a replacement for the Vigo coach, a task that will largely depend on Marc Vivés, who recently replaced Markel Zubizarreta. Giráldez did not express doubts about Barça’s commitment to the section. “I am convinced that it will continue to be a leading team. We have just received the award for the best women’s team in the world, so I am sure that it is a firm, brave and continuous commitment.”