On May 29 of 2017, Valverde was hired to be the manager from FC Barcelona. He had a strong start, after all the drama and propaganda made against Luis Enrique. During the last half of the year of 2017, Barcelona played a decent football with Messi, Suarez, and Iniesta leading the team, and with new revelations like Paulinho and Semedo. Dembele got unfortunately injured as he was going to be the next player to take over the huge position Neymar left. At the end of the season, Barcelona won 2 titles, Copa del Rey and La Liga, but they hadn't won the most desired one by most of the players, the Champions League, which was lost before an incredible AS Roma in the Stadio Olympico, with a late goal from Manolas, 3-0 was the final result.
The next season, 2018/2019, players like Coutinho and Arthur were from the most highlighted ones, but on different aspects. Arthur due to his good game but lack of unprofessionalism (same as in Dembele's case and his frequent injuries) and Coutinho for his mediocre play, which led him to a loan to Bayern Munich at the beginning of the 2019-2020 season. The club also signed Malcolm but barely let him play. Two polemic transfers were also done, Kevin Prince Boateng who has been famous mostly due to his unprofessionalism and a player who clearly had nothing to see with the team (and who actually did nothing for the team) and Jeison Murillo, who was sent on loan from Valencia to supply Umtiti's absence due to injuries. This season, the team won 1 trophy, the local league trophy, but lost Copa del Rey against Valencia on the finals, and made a shameful performance on Anfield's historical comeback which took the team off the Champions League. The environment was awful, after such disappointments in a row, the first one in Rome, the second one in Liverpool. The team lost all kinds of motivation and also played the match against Valencia for Copa del Rey as if they weren't there. Valverde's continuity was on serious trouble but the president and the players backed him up, till making his stay longer.
-The Dismissal-
January 13 of 2020 will be an unforgettable day for Barcelona's fandom because it was officially announced that Valverde was dismissed and an agreement tore the team and the "txingurri" paths and, as a replacement, the former Betis and Las Palmas manager, Quique Setien will take over. It was the cliche format of hero-villain for the Catalans, in which #valverdeout flooded every social network.
The next season, 2018/2019, players like Coutinho and Arthur were from the most highlighted ones, but on different aspects. Arthur due to his good game but lack of unprofessionalism (same as in Dembele's case and his frequent injuries) and Coutinho for his mediocre play, which led him to a loan to Bayern Munich at the beginning of the 2019-2020 season. The club also signed Malcolm but barely let him play. Two polemic transfers were also done, Kevin Prince Boateng who has been famous mostly due to his unprofessionalism and a player who clearly had nothing to see with the team (and who actually did nothing for the team) and Jeison Murillo, who was sent on loan from Valencia to supply Umtiti's absence due to injuries. This season, the team won 1 trophy, the local league trophy, but lost Copa del Rey against Valencia on the finals, and made a shameful performance on Anfield's historical comeback which took the team off the Champions League. The environment was awful, after such disappointments in a row, the first one in Rome, the second one in Liverpool. The team lost all kinds of motivation and also played the match against Valencia for Copa del Rey as if they weren't there. Valverde's continuity was on serious trouble but the president and the players backed him up, till making his stay longer.
Valverde has been always shown as a lenient trainer, who lacks authority but who gets the player's appreciation. It was the playerss' decision to either play as Valverde said or play as they wanted, that's why in some cases like in Rome, players awfully performed and weren't seen. It's undeniable the huge job he has made for the team, and his job in Greece for Olympiakos and in Spain for Athletic Bilbao or Espanyol, but to the Cule's, Valverde's memories will be heading to nightmares.
On season 2019/2020 Valverde was still on the wheel, the big incorporations were great and had shown their value: Antoine Griezmann and Frenkie de Jong. The team's performances were irregular, some matches they were great, some they weren't and so far the direction appears to be the same. On Saturday 11 of 2020, Valverde and his team lost to Atletico de Madrid in the Supercopa and got eliminated after being up 2-1. It was the straw that broke the camel's back for Barcelona FC, Valverde days were few after that.
On season 2019/2020 Valverde was still on the wheel, the big incorporations were great and had shown their value: Antoine Griezmann and Frenkie de Jong. The team's performances were irregular, some matches they were great, some they weren't and so far the direction appears to be the same. On Saturday 11 of 2020, Valverde and his team lost to Atletico de Madrid in the Supercopa and got eliminated after being up 2-1. It was the straw that broke the camel's back for Barcelona FC, Valverde days were few after that.
-The Dismissal-
January 13 of 2020 will be an unforgettable day for Barcelona's fandom because it was officially announced that Valverde was dismissed and an agreement tore the team and the "txingurri" paths and, as a replacement, the former Betis and Las Palmas manager, Quique Setien will take over. It was the cliche format of hero-villain for the Catalans, in which #valverdeout flooded every social network.
Barcelona's trophies under Valverde Era:
- 2 LaLiga's trophies
- 2 Spanish Supercups
- 1 Copa del Rey
Now, after Setien's arrival, cules have high expectations, since Setien has been linked very often to "Cruyffism", philosophy Johan Cruyff once taught on La Masia and Ajax, and the results are yet to be shown.
The Setien Era begins today, will he surpass Valverde's numbers?
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