Bleacher Report spoke to one of the Spanish newspaper’s sub-directors, Albert Masnou, a journalist who has a good relationship with Sampaoli.
Would Sampaoli like the Barcelona job and is he capable of handling the position?
“Yes, he would like it," Masnou said. "Then again who wouldn't like to train a team like this? What he looks for more is a project. He looks for a project where he can build something. In the crazy world of football everything seems ephemeral, what he wants is a project he can work on long term.
“In his sporting career, Sampaoli has trained many teams with very different profiles to Barcelona. Sevilla is the team with the most 'cracks' in it, although the Chile national team has a lot of good players."
“His first experience with Sevilla is going very well. For his profile, his way of being, the way he understands football, I don't think he would have trouble taking over a team like Barcelona. Or Real Madrid, or whoever it may be.”
“He plays like this,” Masnou said, referring to what has become known as the Barcelona style. “His sources of knowledge are many and are varied.
“But key people who have influenced him are Marcelo Bielsa, of course, Guardiola, whom he admired Barcelona's play under, Juanma Lillo, who helped him a lot with positional play—also was helpful to Barcelona, also Paco Seirul.lo [a physical trainer at the club], another person he admires a lot for his knowledge of how Barcelona play and the club's style.
“He likes Barcelona’s style, he likes the style of many ways of playing. Barcelona's style is not just the property of Barcelona, he likes the style of Bayern Munich, for example, but yes, he likes this type of play.[...]"
