Critical hours for Ernesto Valverde: Barcelona meditates if he is fired immediately

Ernesto Valverde could be living his last hours as coach of Barcelona. After the elimination in the Spanish Supercup against Atlético de Madrid, the Blaugrana club has probed the end of the 'Txingurri' stage and is currently debating in the Board of Directors if it dismisses the coach.

After a weekend in which the sports director, Eric Abidal, and the entity's CEO, Óscar Grau, met with Xavi Hernández in Qatar to ask about his availability to take up Valverde's position (with a negative response by part of the former player, who trains Al Sadd and would prefer to wait at the end of the season), Josep Maria Bartomeu met Monday with the coach in a meeting that little is known.

Between strong rumors, both left the Sports City of Barcelona without making statements. The coach left for his home and the president of Barça went to Camp Nou, where he has met his Board of Directors to address a possible dismissal that is not ruled out, much less, in the culé environment.

In fact, Catalunya Ràdio He assured that, in the meeting between Bartomeu and Valverde, the president would have informed the coach that the club would be ready to begin the procedures for his dismissal with his representative.

Although, along with Xavi's, other names such as those of Ronald Koeman, Mauricio Pochettino or Francisco Javier García Pimienta have joined the Blaugrana club, since Can Barça there is still no substitute for taking over the Blaugrana ship if Valverde is finally fired. It would be another of the pending tasks for a directive that could give a rudder and execute a measure that had not been done in Barcelona for more than 15 years: changing technicians mid-season.