LISBONNE, Portugal – Gerard Piqué’s autopsy as brutal as the humiliation inflicted on Barcelona through Bayern Munich.
Numbers 8-2.
“We hit rock bottom,” Piqué said in a television interview on the field after Friday’s loss knocked out five-time Champions League champions in the quarter-finals.
Unlike the capitulations in the previous two seasons — against Roma and Liverpool — there was no first-leg lead to throw away.
Even Lionel Messi may not save Barcelona at the end of a season in which he seemed agitated by disorder.
It was a night of general anguish in Lisbon in changing the format of a game imposed through the pandemic of a knockout phase that had never noticed a team losing so much in Champions League time.
If it were not embarrassing enough, Barcelona had to watch Philippe Coutinho inflict the definitive blows and make the cave even more painful.
The German champions were already in the semi-finals with a 5-2 lead when Coutinho sent for the last 15 minutes.
Marc-André ter Stegen remains Coutinho’s teammate. The 160 million euro striker remains only the signing of the Blue-wing record, but he is still his player. He is only on loan at Bayern this season after suffering to reach an agreement with the parent club he joined from Liverpool in 2018 as the future heir to Andrés Iniesta.
He didn’t even get a chance to paint with Quique Setién, who hired Ernesto Valverde in January.
It is difficult to see Setién have a full season at the helm now after Barcelona ended a trophyless crusade for the first time since 2008, just before Pep Guardiola took the beat and ushered in an era of dominance. But Barca has won the Champions League since Luis Enrique won five trophies in 2015.
“We want new blood, ” said Piqué, discussing the details. “There has to be a replacement at all levels.”
He knows that Piqué’s rating will resonate at the club.
“I’ve been here for just a few months,” he said. “If Gerard says that it’s time for big changes there’s going to be importance to his words. It’s time for us to review and take the decisions which are needed for the future.”
A long streak that won’t come with Setién after accepting that his “credibility” had been further weakened.
“Some decisions have already been made, and others will be taken as a result,” said Barcelona President Josep Bartomeu. “From next week, they will be treated. This is the time to make impulsive decisions, it’s time to think.”
The players accepted the blame at the end of a season when they finished moment in the Real Madrid League and only reached the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey.
“Today showed that we have a lot of problems in the team,” Barcelona midfielder midfielder Frenkie de Jong said. “We know we have to make a lot of changes.”
The players suffered no abuse by fans in public because of the pandemic restricting Lisbon’s stadiums.
“It’s also for enthusiasts,” De Jong said. “I feel sorry for them.”
We use cookies for the most productive enjoyment on our website. By continuing, you agree to our use of cookies. For more information, click this link.