Internacional hit snag over Luís Zubeldía, turn to plan B | OneFootball

Internacional has hit an obstacle in negotiations with Luís Zubeldía. The Argentine coach, who has been without a club since being dismissed by Fluminense, did not accept the possibility of signing a contract only until December, when president Alessandro Barcellos’ term ends.

RTI Esporte Agency has learned that the length of the deal is one of the main points in the negotiations. The Colorado board is considering offering a contract until December 2027, preventing the project from being tied to a change in the presidency.

Internacional needs to define a new head coach

The negotiations are taking place at a time of pressure on Colorado’s football department. Internacional has ten matches left in the Brazilian Championship’s Série A, and the team needs to respond to get out of the relegation zone.

The team is currently in 18th place with 28 points, three behind Vasco, the first club outside the bottom four. The need to react increases the importance of deciding on the coaching position during the break in the schedule for the FIFA international window.

Maurício Barbieri emerges as an alternative

While trying to move forward with Luís Zubeldía, Internacional has also started considering Maurício Barbieri. The coach currently manages Juventude and has emerged as an option for the remainder of the season.

The signing, however, would depend on an agreement with the club from Caxias do Sul. Maurício Barbieri has a release clause of R$2 million, an amount that would have to be negotiated if Internacional decides to pursue that alternative.

Decision involves contract and financial situation

The Colorado board is therefore working with different scenarios to define Paulo Pezzolano’s replacement. The length of Luís Zubeldía’s contract is the main point being discussed behind the scenes at Internacional.

On the other hand, signing Maurício Barbieri would require negotiations with Juventude. The Serra club does not intend to make the coach’s departure easy, and Internacional would have to pay the release clause included in the contract signed in January 2026.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.