Barcelona have announced that Dutch coach Louis van Gaal is returning for a second spell at the Nou Camp.

Van Gaal will take over from Carlos Rexach, who has failed to return the Catalan club to the summit of Spanish football.

Van Gaal is a surprise choice after he became an unpopular figure in his previous spell at Barca, leaving two years ago.

The fiery 50-year-old Dutchman had a stormy spell in charge from 1997-2000, resigning in solidarity with former president Josep Lluis Nunez, who left a week earlier after 22 years in charge because of protests over the club's displays.

And there is already a suggestion that Van Gaal's re-appointment would be controversial, as his steely approach during his previous tenure found little favour with fans or the media.

Barren

He was particularly unpopular after bringing in eight fellow Dutch players and selling off several Barcelona youth-team stars.

A section of the club's directors is also said to be unhappy at his return.

Van Gaal guided Barcelona to the league title and the Copa del Rey in his first season.

He repeated the league success the following season, but ended his third term with no silverware.

Under his successors Llorenc Serra Ferrer and Rexach, the club's barren period has continued.

This season Barcelona finished fourth in the Spanish league, and was eliminated at the Champions League semi-final stage by arch-rivals Real Madrid.

They also suffered a humiliating Copa del Rey defeat in November at the hands of Third Division Figueres.

Van Gaal joined Barcelona after six years at the helm of Ajax in Holland, where he won the Champions League in 1995, the Uefa Cup in 1992 and and five Dutch league titles.

Six weeks after his departure from the Catalan club, he replaced Frank Rijkaard as Holland's coach but resigned last November after failing to secure a place in this year's World Cup finals.