Barcelona B Coach Lined Up for Top Job Ahead of Decisive Week for Quique Setien
By Tom Gott
Barcelona are contemplating sacking manager Quique Setién if the club fall further behind in the La Liga title race this week.
La Blaugrana were leading La Liga before football was suspended, but recent draws against Sevilla and strugglers Celta Vigo have seen the team fall two points behind Zinedine Zidane's Real Madrid with six games remaining, prompting plenty of reports that Setién's time at Camp Nou could come to an end this summer.
However, Catalunya Ràdio's Esport 3 state that Setién's exit could come even sooner as club officials are ready to sack Setién if Barcelona fall even further behind at the end of the coming week.
Barcelona's next chance to make ground on their rivals will come on Tuesday when they welcome Atlético Madrid to Camp Nou, and Setién's side will follow that up with a trip to European hopefuls Villarreal on Sunday.
Executives are concerned by both the team's performances on the pitch and the atmosphere in the dressing room, with several reports suggesting that key players have grown frustrated with Setién's methods.
Setién has publicly insisted that he does not feel like he is under any pressure, but behind the scenes he is facing an uphill battle to convince Barcelona officials to keep him at the club.
RAC1 add that Setién has already faced crunch talks with the club's hierarchy. President Josep Maria Bartomeu, executive Javier Bordas and directors Eric Abidal and Òscar Grau all travelled to Setién's home on Monday to discuss the club's current direction.
The officials are understood to have expressed their support for Setién and the team, but they acknowledged that his future could depend on the next few games.
Should Setién be given the boot, Barcelona B boss Francisco Javier García Pimienta is expected to be given the reins for the rest of the season, including the Champions League campaign this summer.
García Pimienta is close to signing a new contract as Barcelona officials believe he has plenty of potential, and they could hand him a spot in the senior setup if Setién fails to impress over the coming week.
Former midfielder Xavi recently confessed that he is 'preparing' to return to the Camp Nou dugout, but he would prefer to wait until after the 2021 presidential elections before making the move.