Barcelona are 8th on the La Liga log, having played at least one game less than the other sides. They are in a precarious situation both financially and on the pitch.
On Monday, the Catalan team hosted Granada at Camp Nou, and while it has always been a challenging tie for Barcelona (Granada have won two of their last six meetings, losing four), the manner the game panned out outlined the depths the team has fallen.
More painful than the lack of stars and big names on the side is the loss of the Barcelonantity. It was agonizing to watch, and outside the defeat to Bayern Munich, this was the conviction that Koeman is not the man to take the team to the promised land.
Koeman hanging by a thread
If wishes were horses, beggars would ride. It is the situation that Joan Laporta and Barcelona find themselves in. The team is an antithesis of the Barcelonaal, and it is a sight not to see for the Barca fans.
On the strength of the way the team plays, without a clear cutntity, Koeman is already on the chopping block. The only reason he still has a job is because of the financial mess the club finds itself. The club is still struggling to clean up the mess by reducing its financial burden, not increasing it.
Should they press on to fire Koeman, they must have to pay him for the remainder of his contract and compensation he paid the Dutch FA to allow him to take the Camp Nou job.
Replacement for Koeman
Against Granada, a commentator described what Barca dished out from the last century while another opined that it hurt the eyes. Of a truth, it was not pleasing to the eye, and Johan Cryuff would cringe in his grave at what his fellow countryman was serving.
As per the Daily Mail, Joan Laporta favours Martinez, who is also a proponent of the kind of football Barca fans would love to see. Getting Martinez will be tough as he currently is in charge of the Belgium national team. To get Martinez would need Barca to pay compensation to terminate his contract.
Koeman's fate
The team have Cadiz next (away), Levante (home), Benfica in the UCL and Atletico Madrid (home).
These are must-win games for Koeman, and surviving it would lengthen his stay at the club.
The financial obligations of firing him are what the club wants to avoid. Barcelona are currently struggling to fill out the stadium with 27,000 fans watching on Monday despite Covid rules allowing them 40,000 fans.
The big question remains if Laporta can stump up the cash before their annual assembly, which comes up on the 16th and 17th of October. Till that happens, Koeman is still with a job.
By :
Steven D. Thompson
