Watford 'rejected' new Barça boss Quique Setien earlier this season | OneFootball

New Barcelona boss Quique Setien was rejected by Watford earlier this season.

That’s according to a story in the Evening Standard which claims that the Hornets interviewed Setien about taking over at Vicarage following Quique Sanchez Flores’ dismissal in December.

The 61-year-old was unsuccessful however with the Premier League club eventually giving the job to Nigel Pearson.

The English coach has since gone on to perform miracles in Hertfordshire, with their latest win away at Bournemouth taking Watford out of the relegation zone for the first time this season.

Setien meanwhile failed spectacularly upwards, landing the Barça job on Monday evening despite being fourth choice for the role.

Xavi, Ronald Koeman and Mauricio Pochettino all turned down the chance to take over at Camp Nou, handing Setien the chance of a lifetime.

As the former Real Betis man said in his unveiling on Tuesday: “Yesterday, I was walking around my home town with cows around me and now I’m here at Barcelona managing the best players in the world.”

His first game will be against Granada on Sunday.