Barcelona could face Champions League twist as José Mourinho offers himself to Napoli

An interesting development in Barcelona’s European campaign has been touted online late this afternoon.

This comes amid claims that upcoming opponents Napoli could find themselves under different – and altogether more daunting – management for the Champions League Last-16 tie between the clubs.

Napoli have endured a tough time of things of late, struggling under the watch of headmaster Walter Mazzarri.

After Rudi Garcia was sent on his way owing to a dismal start to the defence of the club’s Scudetto title, the hope was that Mazzarri, as a familiar face, would steady the ship to get the Partenopei back on track for the remainder of the term.

This, however, has since proven far from the case, with Napoli instead languishing in 8th in the Serie A table, and in the midst of a run of just one win in five.

If the latest word stemming from the media on Thursday is anything to go by, though, then the powers that be in Naples could yet be afforded the opportunity to shake things up in the dugout once more, by way of the appointment of one of Europe’s most renowned tacticians.

As per a report from Mundo Deportivo, citing sources in Italy, José Mourinho has offered himself up to the reigning Serie A champions.

Mourinho was of course sent packing by Roma earlier this week, after the two parties failed to reach an agreement on the terms of a new contract.

Evidently, though, the Portuguese is of the opinion that his business in Italy is not yet finished.

In turn, agent Jorge Mendes today made phone contact with Aurelio De Laurentiis, to inform the Napoli patron of Mourinho’s keenness to take up the reins at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

Should De Laurentiis choose to take the former Chelsea and Inter Milan boss up on his offer, the aforementioned Barcelona could therefore face an altogether different task in navigating their path to the quarter-finals of the Champions League next month.

Conor Laird | GSFN