BARCELONA, Jan. 14 (SportsFinding) –
The president of FC Barcelona, Jospe Maria Bartomeu, explained on Tuesday that the march of Ernesto Valverde has been because they considered that “the dynamics of the team was improvable” and needed “to gain momentum” for the remainder of the campaign, a mission that will touch him now to a Quique Setién with whom they agree that “take care of the game and the style”.
“For a long time the dynamics were improved. The results were good, we are first in the League and we are in the eighth of the 'Champions', but we had talked about this with Valverde closely since this summer when we gave all the support and in the In recent days we had talked with him that things were improvable, “Bartomeu said in the presentation of Quique Setién.
Despite speaking “a thousand wonders” of Valverde, he reiterated that his stage should come to an end. “He is an endearing person who has left a great mark here. I have always trusted Valverde, I like him as a club man. I gave him the confidence to continue together on this project, but in recent weeks there was a dynamic that was not good. We decided a few days ago that it was best to give a boost to the team and the players with a technical change that will take us to the top, “he reiterated.
The leader made it clear that the “why” of this change of coach was that necessary “boost” and acknowledged that he would have liked that “things had been done better” to deal with the departure of Extremadura, but that they had talked a long time ago “With many coaches to talk about the future, but it had not been made public.”
“The team had been talking with coaches for a long time, always with discretion. In the last days a name came out (Xavi) and it tastes bad. We talked about it in a good way, with Ernesto it was easy to understand, he contributed things and he is very intelligent. the same boat, but we would have liked it to be otherwise, “he said.
However, Bartomeu thanked Valverde for his work in these two and a half years of “very close relationship.” “It has made us all better, we have succeeded and we have to thank you in many ways. I would have liked the goodbye of Valverde to be otherwise, better, but things have gone as they have gone,” he admitted.
On the other hand, he thanked Quique Setién for “accepting this challenge.” “A team like Barça always has its difficulties, but also its rewards. You are a coach who has always noticed the ball and is a coach who takes care of the game and the style and in that we completely agree. He has made his way of train whatever we like in Barça, “he said.
ABIDAL: “FOR US IT WAS THE PERFECT COACH”
“We know that you are in love with Johan Cruyff, it is a way of feeling close to our club. We share your vision. You have won us in some game and now you will be with us. Thank you and welcome,” the president dedicated to him, confirming that the The new technician's contract is until 2022, but when there are elections in 2021, they have put a clause to be the one who decides.
For his part, the technical secretary of the club, Éric Abidal, confessed to feeling “joy” of having Setién in the team. “He has a game philosophy that is the most shocking thing for me, such as communication and 'feeling' with the players, his way of training always focused on details, which reminds me of my time at Barça,” he recalled.
“Together we are going to do great things. I liked what I saw, what you talked to me a long time ago, the 'feeling' you have with your 'staff'. I wish you the best in Barça, here we are to help you and you ' staff. “
“Setién is here because he has a way of working that we like. In football many things can change, but we have full confidence in him. On the first day of training we have seen changes, and so we can reach our goals. Respect for all the coaches we have talked to, but for us the perfect coach was Quique Setién, “he concluded.