Born in Barakaldo in the Basque Country, Del Barrio came through the youth ranks of local Athletic Bilbao, but only made it to the reserve team.
[1] Del Barrio began managing his hometown club Barakaldo CF, twice falling at the promotion playoffs in Segunda División B.
[8] He helped the team avoid the drop in what remained of the season, but their four-year spell in the third tier ended with relegation in 2009–10, despite a 1–0 win at Lugo on the last day.
Financial problems led to players being sold, and the team were relegated to the Tercera División in 2017, with the subsequent failure to be promoted back leading to Del Barrio's dismissal in May 2018.
Early in the new year he left by mutual consent, having won 12 and lost 3 of his 19 league games, and reached the final of the Copa Federación before defeat to Tropezón.