In Barcelona, Miralem Pjanic will not find an easy environment, fresh from the Balugrana purchase in the deal that brought Arthur to Juventus. Between the Catalan club’s corporate crisis, tensions in the locker room and fan protests, the future is increasingly uncertain. And who knows if the Bosnian director (valued at 70 million euros) will still find coach Quique Setién on the bench in September, given that the situation is becoming more and more delicate in Barça after overtaking Real Madrid at the top of the La Liga standings. The eternal rivals of the infinite Clasico have recovered points on points in this strange season and last night they took the first place, beating Espanyol with a goal by Casemiro (luxurious assault by Benzema’s heel), exploiting the draw of Barcelona to Vigo against Celta.
That 2-2 blew the cap in a team that seems to be fed up with the technician who took over from the exonerated Valverde. So many voices and then there is that curtain, staged between Messi and Seiten’s deputy, to be honest. On Saturday, the cameras captured the moment when Sarabia gave directions to the Argentine ten, during a game break, without receiving any kind of glance or response from the Argentine attacker. A public coldness that borders on private anger, as Barcelona wonders about the risk of failing the season. La Liga is a primary goal, while the talk in the Champions League is suspended after the 1-1 draw in Naples in the first leg. For this reason, the names of the former Xavi and Koeman return to turn in the event of an even more serious crisis.
The waters are rough in Barcelona and even the newspaper “Mundo Deportivo” confirms how some players are disappointed by the coach and contest the tactical choices. Arthur’s departure does not help, also because Messi had spent to hold him back and the Brazilian did not want to leave (but he promised that he will commit to the last to the Barça). Economic issues are leading to drastic choices, including a sharp cut in wages, and the possibility of early elections with President Bartomeu hanging in the balance is not excluded. The shadow of Guardiola hovers over all this: he still has a one-year contract at Manchester City, but he will not renew with the English club and his sensational return to Barcelona is not excluded. Where everything was born and now it risks disappearing.
