The cracks in the Federation infect Barcelona | Soccer | Sports

It was an open secret that Barcelona had something to do with the Spanish Federation. In the Barça Sports City, they did not like the goodbye of sports director Markel Zubizarreta – now in Las Rozas -, nor did they like the management of the locker room that directly affects coexistence in Sant Joan Despí. But what had started with complaints about the lowliness has ended with Barcelona coach Jonatan Giráldez publicly targeting the national team after Irene Paredes’ injury. “I try to protect the players. We gave the information that it was not available, but they did the review at the RFEF and decided that it was ready to play. The loser is her and us,” said the Barça coach after the Basque central defender returned from the call with La Roja with a muscle injury and missed the match that was predicted as a return from her absence. A new front that reveals the Federation’s operations, now impossible to conceal. “It was painted that it was Disney and it’s Halloween,” says a source close to one of the soccer players.

The dance of names in the women’s football section of the Spanish Federation does not silence the tension, previously with a common enemy, Jorge Vilda; now with discrepancies in the locker room. The most experienced players, who had already agreed to compromise with Vilda in exchange for the option of winning the World Cup, accepted Montse Tomé’s continued option last September. “She is comfortable for them,” says a Barça player, away from the national team. And Tomé was grateful: Putellas, Irene Paredes and, finally, Hermoso, regained the captaincy (they never lost leadership in the locker room), as they held before the open war with the federation, which ended with the ’15’ letter. in September 2022. There are other footballers, those that Barça label as “the most professional”, who continue without wanting to know anything about La Roja, such as Mapi León and Patri Guijarro.

In the middle is Aitana Bonmatí, without feeling with the veterans – a rift that has worsened since she won the Ballon d’Or -, distanced from Montse Tomé. There are those who understand in the Barcelona locker room that the 14 does not respect the authority of the coach, as well as those who think that Tomé “unnecessarily pointed out Aitana.” In any case, the majority agrees that Tomé is “endorsed by veterans.” The choice of Markel Zubizarreta is no coincidence, then. The new sports director of the Spanish women’s team knows perfectly the leaders of the Spanish locker room, with whom he met during his time in which he was baptized as “the architect” of a team that reached four of the last five finals. of the Champions League.

After winning the first Champions League in Gothenburg in 2021, Zubizarreta walked reflectively across the stadium field. “I was thinking about everything the players were going to ask me,” he commented some time later. Nobody in Barcelona doubts Markel’s work capacity – “he is the one who knows the most about women’s football in Spain and one of the most in the world,” says a source from the Barça sports management – ​​nor his patience. in response to the players’ requests. In fact, Gonzalo Rodríguez, former team manager of the Barça women’s team – he was transferred to the men’s team, but it lasted a short time – and loved by the players, was the first addition to the new structure of the Spanish team.

The crisis haunts Real Madrid

Real Madrid was called to take a step forward, to grow and reduce the difference with FC Barcelona. It seemed that the most even classic was going to happen. And that, finally, the team that was created just three years ago after absorbing Tacón, could face the current champion in Spain and Europe. But it was not like that. And Madrid scored five goals in the last classic at Montjuïc. Almost a month has passed since the game, although nothing has changed since then and they still haven’t raised their heads.

The white team once again demonstrated defensive fragility and vulnerability last Saturday against Sevilla. With doubts, they fell 1-3 against Cristian Toro’s team between refereeing controversies, lack of daring and confusion in the game. With him, Real Madrid continues impassively watching the points go away: they have already conceded 17 goals in the 11 days of the league, and they have lost the slipstream of Barcelona by dropping to third position and settling for 24 points. In addition, they have accumulated six games without keeping a clean sheet.

With eight injured, in the Champions League the situation in Valdebebas is not the most ideal. They lost against Häcken, and drew against Chelsea. The fans point and blame the coach, Alberto Toril, between whistles and demands for resignation. Although Athenea del Castillo publicly demonstrated her support through a hug at a celebration. Meanwhile, they will face Paris FC on December 14. With feelings obscured and the team diminished, the sporting crisis haunts Real Madrid, which fades with each passing game.

Added to Aitana’s uncomfortable situation is the Cata Coll-Sandra Paños duel. An implicit dispute that Jorge Vilda made explicit after he chose to first ignore Paños – he did not take her to the World Cup – and then Misa – close to the group of veterans, and from whom he took ownership. The doubt was then transferred to the Barcelona goal. After Cata’s role in Australia, Giráldez decided to share ownership. Although not equally: Coll awaited the Champions League and more important matches, while Sandra settled for the mid- and low-table teams. “It is important that we are all plugged in for any situation that occurs, and we also have to fight to earn our position,” Paños assured after the game against Éibar last Saturday.

A last meeting in which Barcelona was low on operations and with a waiting list in the infirmary. Tomé called up Putellas and Paredes despite their medical absences announced by the club. The first returned to the Ciudad Deportiva to continue recovering from the discomfort in her battered knee in the past, but Irene stayed. Her intention: to continue with her rest and training with the help of the Federation after Barça’s notice about her state of health, still affected by a strong and complicated tonsillitis. Between the chaos and the defeat against Italy, Paredes reached 100 games with the national team. He wouldn’t play his 101st against Sweden. Not because of rest – in a month he has only participated in two matches – but because of discomfort. When she set foot in Barcelona, ​​the club issued the medical statement about her injury. “He will not be in the next games,” Giráldez confirmed in the last press conference. And he won’t be back until next year.

And although there was apparent calm and change in the national team – especially after the ‘Oliva summit’, where players and the Federation made agreements for the future in the middle of the night -, the storm is continuous. The darkness has not subsided and the wind is blowing towards Barcelona.

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2023-12-10 18:06:55
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