at FC Barcelona B. In 1984, he co-founded the TARR football school in his native city with fellow ex-players Juan Manuel Asensi, Joaquim Rifé and Antoni Torres. Rexach joined Luis Aragonés's staff for the 1987–88 season, and briefly became caretaker manager when the latter departed after suffering a bout of depression. When Cruyff was subsequently appointed, he remained an assistant. When chain smoker Cruyff needed emergency heart surgery during the 1990–91 campaign, Rexach once again stepped up, leading the club to its 11th league title – his first game in charge was on 27 February 1991, in a 6–0 home win against Las Palmas for the domestic cup. He remained in the position throughout the Dream Team era and, after president Josep Lluís Nuñez sacked the Dutchman in May 1996, once again became head coach, a decision which allegedly cost him the friendship of Cruyff; after new manager Bobby Robson replaced him with José Mourinho as his assistant he became a scout, going on to be responsible for discovering Lionel Messi. In 1998, Rexach moved to the Yokohama Flügels. During his spell in the J.League, he worked with former Barcelona players Ion Andoni Goikoetxea and Julio Salinas. After Lorenzo Serra Ferrer was sacked by Barcelona towards the end of 2000–01, Rexach was named his successor. In the last matchday, following a 3–2 home defeat of Valencia CF and courtesy of a Rivaldo 87th-minute wonder goal, they managed to qualify for the Champions League; this resulted in him being appointed coach by Joan Gaspart for the following season, but after being ousted by Real Madrid in the semi-finals of the Champions League, by UE Figueres in the Spanish Cup and having lost the final of the Copa Catalunya to CF Balaguer, he was fired and replaced by a returning Louis van Gaal, continuing to work with the club in directorial capacities. On 8 April 2010, Rexach announced his intention to run for Barcelona's presidency, Nothing came of it eventually, but he was nonetheless chosen by new chairman Sandro Rosell as sporting advisor alongside Josep Maria Fusté and Migueli. Career statistics Managerial statistics Honours Player Barcelona La Liga: 1973–74 Copa del Rey: 1967–68, 1970–71, 1977–78, 1980–81 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1978–79 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup: 1965–66, 1971 Individual Pichichi Trophy: 1970–71 Manager Barcelona La Liga: 1990–91 References External links FC Barcelona profile 1947 births Living people Footballers from Barcelona Spanish footballers Association football