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What will happen if Barcelona fire Valverde mid-season?

By Chiranjib Ghosh

VALENCIA, SPAIN - NOVEMBER 02: Ernesto Valverde, head coach of FC Barcelona reacts during the Liga match between Levante UD and FC Barcelona at Ciutat de Valencia on November 02, 2019 in Valencia, Spain. (Photo by Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
VALENCIA, SPAIN - NOVEMBER 02: Ernesto Valverde, head coach of FC Barcelona reacts during the Liga match between Levante UD and FC Barcelona at Ciutat de Valencia on November 02, 2019 in Valencia, Spain. (Photo by Quality Sport Images/Getty Images) /
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More poor results will inevitably lead to Barcelona firing Ernesto Valverde

Characteristically, Barcelona are not a club who like to get rid of managers mid-season. Unlike most of Europe’s elite, a managerial appointment is like a proper commitment for the club. But sometimes, commitments do need to be broken.

Barça have gotten off to a very inconsistent start this season, with some of the worst performances coming in the elusive Champions League. Marquee summer signing Antoine Griezmann has failed to click, and there have been tactical issues.

The team has been overly reliant on Lionel Messi to find the back of the net, and stars like Gerard Piqué and Jordi Alba have been far from their best. There have been a few shining lights, like Arturo Vidal and Frenkie de Jong, but they cannot single-handedly deliver results.

Ernesto Valverde has come under a lot of pressure, facing plenty of criticism especially for his illogical experimentation with tactics and the formation. The Basque coach will clearly not last beyond the end of the season, but the end could come sooner than expected.

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The recent 4-1 victory against Celta Vigo will come as a boost to the squad, but if there is anything to be learned from recent results, it is that Barça are inconsistent. A resounding win in one game could be followed up by a disappointing loss in the next.

So, if Barça lose any more important matches in the next few months, Valverde will face the sack. The ex-Culé retains the trust of the board and club president Josep Maria Bartomeu, but a string of poor results will do nothing to extend his time at Barça.

But what will happen if Ernesto Valverde does indeed get fired mid-season? Unlike clubs like Chelsea and Real Madrid, Barça are not used to dealing with such situations. Barça last fired a manager mid-season back in 2003, when Louis van Gaal was dismissed.

Since then, all managers have left the club only in pre-season, giving Barça time to set up a new sporting project with a fresh face. But if Valverde does get sacked mid-season, the squad will need a coach to guide them through to the end of the season.

But the question is, do Barça build for the next season with a mid-season appointment, or attempt to salvage something from the current season? In that case, do Barça give a long-term contract to a coach or make an interim appointment?

The first question can be answered depending on the situation in which Valverde is dismissed. If he leaves Barça languishing at 4th in the league table, and eliminated from the Champions League and the Copa del Rey, Barça need to build for the next season.

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But if he leaves the club in a position from where it is possible to win the treble, an interim manager should be hired. In pre-season, the interim coach should be replaced with a manager with a long-term project.

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