The Barcelona Crisis: Is Ernesto Valverde Under Pressure?

Barcelona suffered more than a couple of devastating defeats not too long ago. The one at Levante was particularly devastating and quite heavy for the fans to bear. Based on the events that unfolded, it’s fair to say that Barcelona is facing a crisis.

The clock is ticking

Since Barcelona is the kind of football club that so many look up to, losing in this fashion opens the gate to a truckload of pressure – and Ernesto Valverde is feeling it too. Frenkie De Jong and Antoine Griezmann, the two men he signed during summer, are not meeting the expectations for whatever reason. Since this is his third season, Valverde’s clock is ticking. He needs to make it happen… or else.

Barcelona still one of the favorites

A quick look at the sportstake fixtures and standings suggests that Barcelona is still one of favorites to lift the La Liga trophy, despite having a couple of setbacks. However, the question remains… how safe is Valverde’s position? Judging from the rumors, it’s far from what one would call stable. Although no one can say his work thus far can be considered anything close to bad, but is it really worthy of Barcelona’s emblem?

The club is eyeing a replacement

Not too surprisingly, the club has begun playing with the thought of finding a replacement. They are looking at several options, but alas, nothing is set in stone as of yet. But let’s cut to the chase – who are they?

Erik ten Hag is a consideration for sure. His work in the recent years has put him on the club’s radar. Ajax, the club that’s currently under his wing, is seeing some impressive results too.

Then we have Mauricio Pochettino, another man who would be considered worthy of taking charge. It’s no secret that he is not completely happy at Tottenham and would more than likely snap up an offer from another reputable club in the blink of an eye. However, there is quite a large elephant in the room we need to address – the shortage of trophies doesn’t look too good on his track record.

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Are we about to see the return of a legend?

Is this the end of the list? Not quite. Remember Xavi? Well, who doesn’t? This legendary Barcelona player could maybe come out of retirement and take Valverde’s place as the manager of the club. The fans would welcome his return with open arms. Although his passion for the team is unquestionable, the fact that he doesn’t have sufficient managerial experience under his belt could be a problem. On the flipside, he possesses the kind of football knowledge many can only dream about.

Barcelona still at the top

So, what does Valverde have to say in response to the criticism? For one, he does not seem to be content with how Barcelona is expected to give a football lesson in every single match they play. No matter how hard they try, doing so is not possible every time. In any case, they’re at the top of the game, still. There’s an enormous amount of pressure on everyone to stay that way. As for Valverde? Right now, he is still the manager. The rest is up to the future to decide (and the club’s performance under his wing).