One year after Valverde

On January 13, 2020, a year ago today, Barça announced the dismissal of Ernesto Valverde in an exhibition of surprising lack of forms in a club that boasts of values. After giving two Leagues, a Cup and a Super Cup to a team that was already in decline, and supported by the supposed search for a boost for the team, Bartomeu decided to lower his thumb after Barça's defeat against Atlético in Arabia ( 2-3). Before communicating it to him, he sent Abidal and Óscar Grau to Doha on an alleged and unseemly secret mission to try to convince Xavi. The news leaked to half the world and, after Xavi's pumpkins, the nonsense was rounded off with the signing of Quique Setién.

Valverde has not given interviews since he left. He saw too much. He has preferred to focus on his hobbies: cycling or photos, where he had some of the best teachers, such as our remembered Ferran Zueras. And, within what the pandemic allowed, to enjoy Bilbao, his usual place of residence. Signed by Robert in the summer of 2017When Luis Enrique decided to close his stage, the first thing he encountered was Neymar's flight to Paris. They accused him of boring, but he rebuilt a team without smiling and in depression on a 4-4-2 with Busquets and Rakitic in bras. LaLiga won the cap by winning 0-3 at the Bernabéu. They also swept the Cup, with a memorable 5-0 at Sevilla in the Wanda final on Iniesta's last day. And that despite the fact that hours before Bartomeu had not thought of anything other than to filter that he was going to charge him for the 3-0 in Rome.

He began his second season aware of the mistrust he generated in the disheartened Board. He returned to 4-3-3, returned to take the street league and did not win once at the Bernabéu, but twice: 0-3 to eliminate Madrid from the Cup and 0-1 to end Solari as he had already liquidated Lopetegui (5-1 at Camp Nou). Barça reached May with triplet options, but Anfield's black night and the Seville Cup final happened. He wanted to renew the team, but that first line-up of the 2019-20 season in San Mamés (Busquets and substitute Rakitic) annoyed certain heavyweights … Valverde won 97 of his 145 games with Barça. Since he left, Athletic probed him and he has had exotic offers from Japan and China. Txingurri was more than a coach at Barça. He masterfully managed unleashed egos and vices. He discreetly rolled out the gum from the club's best era. Time will recognize you.