Barclays is facing a battery of questions from investors and analysts as it prepares to admit defeat in the €70 billion (£49 billion) battle for ABN Amro.

The third-largest British bank, whose €60 billion bid for ABN lapsed today, is expected to acknowledge formally its failure to secure its prized takeover of the Dutch bank at some point tomorrow.

ABN's shares were suspended today in the wake of the lapsed bid, in line with protocol at Euronext, the exchange where its share are listed.

Barclays shares were 15.5p higher at 655.5p. Shares in Royal Bank of Scotland, the Edinburgh-based bank leading the consortium that is set to be victorious, was also higher, up 16p at 570p.

But the City is already drawing up a list of questions for Barclays' management, led by John Varley, the chief executive, and Bob Diamond, the president.

"I have no doubt that investors will raise questions about management credibility," one analyst said. "You'll get speculation about management reshuffles and speculation about a takeover."

"RBS, remember, only wanted a slice of ABN; these guys were going to swallow the whole thing. Shareholders will want reassurances about acquisitions risk in the near and medium term."

Observers raised the prospect that a big Wall Street banking player, such as Bank of America, or the emerging market bank Standard Chartered might register bid interest in Barclays.

One Barclays watcher also suggested that the bank might lose Mr Diamond, a figurehead at the bank who runs Barclays Capital, BGI, the investment manager, and private clients.

Other analysts were far less concerned, arguing that the bank's management team had emerged with its credibility intact.

Alex Potter, of Collins Stewart, said: "I don't think Barclays is particularly pressured for its next move because it wasn't pressured for the last move.

"It was entirely logical for them to look at this deal. If anything, they have been careful in not overpaying.

"I'm sure that there will be people who say Barclays is a takeover target. However, it's not clear who would buy them.

"They are the No 8 in Europe. Bear in mind that one of the seven above them is ABN and another is RBS."

Mr Potter added that the seizure in the credit markets would make a takeover of Barclays less likely, with funding presenting a problem for a prospective buyer.

He said: "The Americans have more stringent capital rules than in the UK.

"With the markets as they are, I don't think the Fed is going to be particularly pleased with a US bank trying to buy Barclays."

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