What a complete mess.
Whilst other clubs may seem to be a perennial state of drama and distress *cough* Arsenal *cough*, no one can compare to FC Barcelona for sheer incompetence and disarray at present. To witness one of the greatest and most popular sporting institutes in the world, with the finest footballer of all time, in such chaos is half way between comedy and tragedy.
The constant string of false notes, mistaken hubris, failed negotiations and misguided decisions is seemingly non-stop, and so it’s sometimes difficult to keep up. But in an effort to lay out the full extent of mismanagement, and perhaps to take stock himself, one of the most revered and informed Spanish football experts out there has summed it up for us.
Sid Lowe is widely accepted as a reliable and trusted authority on all things La Liga, especially concerning Real Madrid and Barcelona. His book, Fear and Loathing in La Liga: Barcelona vs Real Madrid, is an exceptional work and thoroughly informative. Lowe is also part of the superb Spanish Football Podcast alongside housewives’ favourite Phil Kitromilides.
On Saturday, Lowe summed up the hot mess that is Barca in a collection of tweets that makes depressing and often farcical reading:
So, let's try to keep this as short and simple as possible. Barcelona this summer…
(Thread)— Sid Lowe (@sidlowe) September 2, 2017
Said they were "200% sure" Neymar was staying.
Neymar left.— Sid Lowe (@sidlowe) September 2, 2017
Negotiated for Iñigo MartÃnez (who has an affordable buy out clause making it more or less mess-free).
Pulled out last minute.— Sid Lowe (@sidlowe) September 2, 2017
Negotiated for Seri. (Having already missed clause deadline before, seemingly unconvinced).
Didn't get him, pulled out, left him stranded.— Sid Lowe (@sidlowe) September 2, 2017
Were not interested in MBappé (replacement for Neymar now, Luis Suarez soon-ish after)
— Sid Lowe (@sidlowe) September 2, 2017
Wanted to get rid of Gomes.
Couldn't.— Sid Lowe (@sidlowe) September 2, 2017
Said they were going to sign "one more, maybe two".
Signed no more.— Sid Lowe (@sidlowe) September 2, 2017
Chased Coutinho.
Cue Benny Hill theme tune.
Didn't get him.— Sid Lowe (@sidlowe) September 2, 2017
Left Coutinho in quite a mess too.
— Sid Lowe (@sidlowe) September 2, 2017
Manager said he wanted signings.
Publicly.
Didn't get them.— Sid Lowe (@sidlowe) September 2, 2017
Players said they wanted signings.
Didn't get them.— Sid Lowe (@sidlowe) September 2, 2017
Announced legal action against Neymar.
Within 2 hours, players publish photos w/ Neymar: smiles, friends for ever, jokes about his departure— Sid Lowe (@sidlowe) September 2, 2017
For linked to just about everyone (in fairness, probably not all of their own doing).
Looked desperate.
Got none of them.— Sid Lowe (@sidlowe) September 2, 2017
And, to crown it all, the elephant that's not just in the room but is crapping all over their floor…
— Sid Lowe (@sidlowe) September 2, 2017
Said Messi had *signed* new contract.
Twice.
He hasn't.
In a year, he is a free agent.— Sid Lowe (@sidlowe) September 2, 2017
Looked at coldly, calmly, what Barça have got isn't too bad: right back, central midfielder, Neymar replacement, back up LW. But….
— Sid Lowe (@sidlowe) September 2, 2017
….it's what they tried (?) and failed to get, it's the *way* they handled all this, the sense of failure and weakness, the damage done.
— Sid Lowe (@sidlowe) September 2, 2017
(And Paulinho could still be good: the rush to bury him feels a little unfair to me).
— Sid Lowe (@sidlowe) September 2, 2017
Also, although I think this is more debatable (justifiable?)… Dembele. 10x what he was last summer (in v different circumstances).
— Sid Lowe (@sidlowe) September 2, 2017
Ah, and I forgot the way it all started:
Chased Verratti
Didn't get him. Left him having to apologise to PSG…who then got serious revenge— Sid Lowe (@sidlowe) September 2, 2017
Oh, wait.
Chased BellerÃn.
Didn't get him.— Sid Lowe (@sidlowe) September 2, 2017
