Barca boss Martino will see out contract

Barcelona coach Gerardo Martino confirmed his intention to see out his contract with the Catalan club ahead of tonight’s Primera Division clash with Celta Vigo.

The 51-year-old took over the Nou Camp reins from Tito Vilanova last summer on a two-year deal, and has guided the club to the Champions League quarter-finals, the Copa del Rey final and within one point of Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid at the top of La Liga.

His future had been a topic for debate, but president Josep Maria Bartomeu stated yesterday the Argentinian would honour his contract and Martino later reaffirmed that commitment.

The reigning champions got themselves firmly back in the title frame with a 4-3 triumph over Real Madrid at the Bernabeu on Sunday, fired by a Lionel Messi hat-trick, but Martino has urged his players to put that win aside and focus on the remaining nine league games.

“It is important for us to be in the right frame of mind for this run-in to the end of the season, and we are still competing on all three fronts and finding our form, so it’s all positive,” he said.

“We have to make the most of what we achieved at the weekend, because it has put us back in contention for the league title.”