It has been a difficult week or so for Barcelona. Last midweek, the club were humiliated at home by Paris Saint-Germain, with a 4-1 loss ensuring their exit from the UEFA Champions League.
It was followed by a frustrating and controversial 3-2 defeat at the hands of arch-rivals Real Madrid – a result that effectively ruled them out of the title race.
With roughly a month remaining before the season comes to an end, Barcelona have nothing to play and many problems to address.
Joan Laporta is in a state of bother
A recent report from Toni Juanmarti has indicated that Barcelona president Laporta is experiencing a poor state of mind right now and has been quite ‘nervous and tense’ for the past few days.
Many reasons have impacted Laporta’s behaviour including the club’s loss to PSG in the Champions League.
The Barça chief is also worried about the coaching problem, with Xavi set to leave the club at the end of the season.
In addition, the negotiations with Nike still remain a hot topic, even though Barcelona are reportedly in advanced talks to settle a new deal that could see them receive €120 million per season.
Laporta is also worried about the renovation project of Camp Nou, which is currently running behind schedule. That means Barcelona will not be able to return to the footballing citadel as early as expected and may have to wait until the end of the year.
Number one fix: address the coaching issue
In the midst of turmoil, Barcelona must focus on one issue at a time and as things stand, the club’s biggest problem right now is the vacancy in the coaching position next season.
Laporta’s strategy was simple – hope for Barcelona’s success over PSG and Real Madrid and convince Xavi to stay for longer.
However, following back-to-back defeats, Xavi is unlikely to change his mind. Even if he does, he is likely to come up with various demands, including proper support in the transfer market.
Keeping that in mind, Barcelona must find a coach who will be willing to work with limited finances. Rafa Marquez’s name comes to mind, but Barça are likely to explore a few other options before taking the final call.
