FC Barcelona has been in turmoil for quite some time, and while they may not be out of the woods yet, things are a lot calmer.
The Catalan club has seen its troubles bring about the loss of key personnel, with cost-cutting measures taken to ensure the club could compete this season. Players like Lionel Messi and Pjanic were shown the door, while Gerard Pique, Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and Sergi Roberto all took pay cuts to allow the club to register players for the new season.
The club also had to resort to bringing in players on free transfers.
The dust of Barcelona's financial meltdown is yet to settle, and more upheavals haved to rock the club.
Recommendations for a sack
Barcelona haved the season in an unstable fashion. While the Catalan club has managed to remain within the frame of challenging for the La Liga, their Champions League opener suggests a far deeper problem within the team than their domestic result suggests.
After the tepid performance against Bayern Munich that saw the side lose 3-0, the Barca board hurriedly arranged an emergency meeting where the recommendation was for the sack of the coach Ronald Koeman.
According to AS, the meeting took place on Thursday, with several members of the board pushing Laporta to wield the big stick on Koeman. The Dutchman would be paid off if sacked, and the board members are asking Laporta to pay off the coach and get someone who could change the on-pitch fortunes of the club. According to bookmakers, there is a strong chance the Dutchman could indeed be sacked if Barca fail to record good results in their next three games.
Koeman and Laporta go to the trenches
Laporta may not be one of Koeman's greatest fans, but he resisted the urge to relieve the Dutchman of his duties as he tried to steady a rocking ship. It hasn't been smooth sailing, with Koeman said to be irked by Laporta's press statements.
A war of words ensued between the Dutchman and the club president, with Koeman delivering the latest barb before their loss to Bayern.
According to him, Laporta's public statements were unnecessary and geared towards destabilizing the club's restoration to its final glory. He claims that all issues ought to be settled behind closed doors.
Is it Koeman's fault?
FC Barcelona have dropped a notch from their high pedestal, and the quality of personnel is not the same. This summer, the team lost Lionel Messi on a free transfer.
Koeman met an unsteady ship and has tried to steady the rocking boat. He may not be the best hand to repair the mess at the club, but it isn't his fault.
Should Koeman be sacked, there aren't many high profile names readily available. Jordi Cryuff, Laporta's advisor, is not willing to take the job due to his friendship with Koeman, and Barcelona B coach, Sergi Barjuan, is also not seen as suitable for the job.
By :
Steven D. Thompson
