When Ernesto Valverde was fired from Barcelona last January, the oldest and most emotional footballers in the dressing room thought that his replacement would be Xavi Hernández . That must be the condition for assuming the departure of a Valverde who was dropped.

However, and after that grotesque trip to Qatar of Òscar Grau, CEO of the entity, and Eric Abidal, technical secretary, President Bartomeu showed that Xavi would not accept that poisoned candy then. Neither did Ronald Koeman. Neither did Mauricio Pochettino. So, between the option of Massimiliano Allegri and that of Quique Setién, in the noble zone they thought that with the Cruyffista cartel of the Cantabrian there would be enough to win the battle of the story and save the crisis. Half a year later, that Barcelona of passive government and sovereign clothing threatens to end up devouring Setién as well.

In Barcelona's management they attend with extreme concern the latest events produced in a booth in which Bartomeu has not been welcome since he once again asked the footballers to lower their wages . The Barcelona president, before the flames progressed and as Rac-1 advanced, he went to Setién's home on Monday afternoon together with Grascar Grau, Javier Bordas, sports vice president, and Eric Abidal, technical secretary. Bartomeu, who wanted to know firsthand the real extent of the problems in the locker room, transmitted his support to the coach for this final stretch of the championship. In fact, in the board of directors, they had already spoken in recent days about the difficulty that it would be at the economic level to have to assume a new change of coach.

The wardrobe leaders, on the other hand, disapprove of both Setien's management and his insistence on delegating part of the work to his main assistant, Eder Sarabia, the usual focus of conflict . The footballers are no longer even willing to hide the null connection with their foremen, as could be seen in one of the hydration breaks of the match played in Balaídos, in which Messi chose to ignore Sarabia in the face of Setién's silence. Once the tie was over, Luis Suárez, substituted ten minutes from the end, decided to focus on the coach.

“We all have to give up a part of ourselves for the good of the team, including the footballers. The team must act as such. Maybe you have to sacrifice certain personal things for the benefit of the group (...). Time is putting everyone in their place », Setien stirred in the preview of the match against Atlético, a duel with a definitive aroma in the fight for the championship. An appearance in which he defended his work in his own way: "Sometimes the results do not depend on me."

Such is the sainete that Arthur Melo, footballer whose transfer to Juventus was announced yesterday in exchange for 72 million euros plus another 10 in incentives [actually, a barter with Pjanic in exchange for 12 million to save the budget sales item at the end of the financial year], the season will end with Barcelona. This was reported by the Brazilian to both Setién and his teammates before starting training on Monday. This was confirmed by the Catalan team, satisfied by the over-taxation achieved in the soccer exchange that will allow you to breathe today. Who knows if tomorrow.

Because for Pjanic Barça will pay 60 million plus five in incentives. But he will only have to pay off 15 by signing it for four seasons. The Bosnian is 30 years old . It matters little in a Barcelona where short-termism is holy.

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