05/08/2008 - Barcelona, Spain (Soccer Betting) - Barcelona fired coach Frank Rijkaard on Thursday, less than three years after he guided the club to the UEFA Champions League title.
Rijkaard will officially step down on June 30. He will be replaced by reserves coach Pep Guardiola.
Rijkaard, an ex-Netherlands national team star, led Barca to the La Liga crown in 2005 and both the La Liga and Champions League titles the following year.
"Hes done an excellent job and behaved excellently. We will remember Frank Rijkaard as the coach who led the recovery of the team and in three years took it to the glory of Paris," Barcelona President Joan Laporta said.
Barcelona lost the league crown on a tiebreaker with Real Madrid last year and can finish no higher than third this season. Barca will still qualify for the Champions League, but the down year was enough for Rijkaard to be fired.
In addition to the disappointing season in Spain, Barcelona was eliminated in the semifinals of the Champions League by Manchester United this month.
Guardiola, who has coached the club's reserve team since last June, played for Barcelona from 1990-2001.
"We believe in Guardiola to lead the new sporting project," Laporta said. "He guarantees renewed continuity in the ... style that has given us success."
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Ponte Vedra Beach, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Spain's Sergio Garcia fired a six-
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Thursday's NBA Playoff Capsules >>
BOSTON (AP) -Paul Pierce scored 19 points, Kevin Garnett added 13 with 12 rebounds, and Ray Allen broke out of a seven-quarter scoring drought with 16 points to help Boston beat Cleveland 89-73 on Thursday night.The Celtics took a 2-0 lead in the Ea
Gainey, two others share lead in Arkansas >>
Fort Smith, AR (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Tommy Gainey posted a six-under 64 Thursday
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Washington, D.C. (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Justin Mapp and Cuauhtemoc Blanco scored
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Celtics stifle Cavaliers again, take 2-0 series lead >>
Boston, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Paul Pierce paced a balanced Boston attack with
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Kevin Garnett added 13 points and 1
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