Jonatan Giráldez, new head coach of Barça women's team

Jonatan Giráldez is the new head coach of the Barça women’s team following Lluís Cortés’ decision to step down from the role. Born in Vigo on 27 November 1991, Giráldez had assisted Cortés throughout the last two seasons and a half, and he is to become head coach for one season with the option to a second.

Before coming to FC Barcelona, the Galician studied Sports Science in Pontevedra and Barcelona. He has lived in Catalonia since the age of 20 and first worked for the Catalan Football Federation as national manager, analyst and fitness trainer for various boys and girls teams. He also taught at the Coaching School, lectured at university and worked as a football commentator on TV.

Giráldez signed his contract this Friday morning in the office of President Joan Laporta, where the two gentlemen were joined by director Xavier Puig, the director of sport, Xavier Budó, and the manager of women’s football, Markel Zubizarreta.

Statement by Jonatan Giráldez

"I’m tremendously excited. I am really looking forward to the job because it’s such a nice group that we have, both the staff and the players."

“To coach here the mentality has to be to win every game. I have gained a lot of experience in the last two and a half years. At an elite club you learn from the best. I have developed and perfected my idea.”

“We have the tools to keep winning. That’s our mentality. It is very important to keep this idea developing. We have a nice challenge, which is to win again and that’s the intention.”

Statement by Markel Zubizarreta

"The important thing was to continue the project we’ve been working on for such a long time. Jonatan is one of the artifices of the way the team has learned to play and we intend to carry it on. He is young, competent and has a lot of ideas for this team and club and I’m convinced he’ll help the team to develop further.”

Statement by Xavier Puig

"He is an absolutely reliable person. For us, as assistant coach, he was part of what made this Barça team as successful as it has been. He has been very close to everything the head coach was doing and was a total participant.”