Barcelona made all of it concerning the Champions League and after surrendering La Liga to Real Madrid, now it’s all they’ve left. Profitable the title final season for the eighth time in 11 years was by no means going to be sufficient. Profitable the double had not been both the 12 months earlier than. La Liga and the Copa del Rey had turn into Barca’s default, their home dominance taken with no consideration after which diminished by disappointment in Europe.
A large number of a season might nonetheless be saved by the Champions League however even essentially the most optimistic of followers anticipate the worst in opposition to Bayern Munich, Barcelona’s possible opponents within the quarter-finals.
Many, together with Lionel Messi, are apprehensive even about getting previous Napoli, with the pandemic-delayed final 16 matchup poised at 1-1. “I stated way back that if we continued on this means, it will be very tough to win the Champions League and that has been proven to be the case in La Liga too,” stated a annoyed Messi after the loss to Osasuna on Thursday.
“If we wish to struggle for the Champions League we must change rather a lot as a result of in any other case the match in opposition to Napoli, we’ll lose that as nicely.”
Simply over a 12 months on from nearly profitable the treble, Barcelona look set to complete and not using a trophy of any sort for the primary time in 12 years.
And but the priority shouldn’t be a lot the various failures of this season however the chance they may very well be simply the beginning.
Messi is 33 and his anger is directed primarily on the board, whose management has left Barcelona with a group seemingly neither for the current nor the longer term.
There was no succession plan for Messi since Neymar joined Paris Saint-Germain in 2018 and that world file charge has been squandered on gamers which have did not settle or been bought to stability the books.
Antoine Griezmann purchased for 120 million euros, left Atletico Madrid for the Camp Nou and what he thought could be the head of his membership profession. But earlier this month, he was decreased to coming off the bench, in opposition to Atletico, in injury-time.
And it’s not simply Messi nearing the top. Gerard Pique, Sergio Busquets, Luis Suarez and Jordi Alba are all 31 or older.
Political blunders
Off the pitch, political blunders have angered the dressing room, with Messi issuing a public rebuke to sporting director Eric Abidal in February over the sacking of Ernesto Valverde.
Eradicating Valverde may need been comprehensible final summer season after two profitable years appeared to have run their course.
However a change mid-season, with Barca prime of the desk, and to a coach like Quique Setien, whose concepts want time to be absorbed, now appears reckless.
Setien has admitted managing a squad like Barcelona’s has been a problem for him. He has intimated that some gamers have to suppose extra concerning the group.
He has made errors too and it stays to be seen if he pays together with his job. Bartomeu has stated Setien will keep for the Champions League however the 2-1 dwelling defeat by Osasuna intensified the doubts.
“I hope so,” stated Setien, when requested on Thursday if he could be in cost subsequent month.
However with presidential elections on the membership to return subsequent 12 months, the place shouldn’t be a horny one for an elite coach.
If Bartomeu’s successor loses, Victor Font, a rival candidate, needs to nominate Xavi Hernandez. It means both Setien or his substitute face the prospect of 1 full season within the job, all of the whereas missing both authority or certainty in the long run.
Zinedine Zidane has proven what might be performed with an ageing Actual squad that seems useless on its toes. However it’s exhausting to see who might carry out an equal rescue act at Barca or who could be ready to do it with this board nonetheless in place.
With out cash to spend within the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic, the reply may very well be to show once more to youth, with Riqui Puig and Ansu Fati already breaking by this season.
Promoted
But in a dysfunctioning group, determined to win earlier than Messi retires, that strategy provides no ensures.
Messi’s clock hangs over all the pieces, with each failure enhanced by the sense that the membership’s best ever participant is being wasted. The largest fear now could be it might get even worse.
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