The Barcelona churn: Valverde out, Setién in
Live MintElite football clubs often defy logic. The latest logic-defying move comes from Barcelona, who sacked their manager Ernesto Valverde mid-season on Monday and appointed former Real Betis manager Quique Setién. Despite the Catalan club being top of the table, Barca’s hierarchy had moved to replace Valverde, first going behind his back to woo former player Xavi Hernandez. The way Liverpool outplayed them to win the semi-finals last year must still rankle, but it’s also true that Valverde has won only one league title less than his predecessors Luis Enrique and Pep Guardiola, and that too with an inferior squad. There’s a feeling inside the club that Valverde really doesn’t get the Total Football ethos of Barcelona, and that his teams seem to freeze in the headlights at key moments.