The crack of Barcelona

In the Barcelona box the climate was raging.

"Now we're not going to Madrid," one Barça director told another, as soon as the duel against Inter at the Camp Nou ended last Wednesday (3-3).

The feeling among the leaders of the Barça board was not that Simone Inzaghi's team had left Barça untouched in the Champions League.

It was simply that the Italians had exposed the miseries of a group that they do not fully trust.

The first ones that the directive put in the trigger were the captains.

“Well, Sergi Roberto is saved”, they underline in the Barcelona board.

It is no coincidence that they excuse the footballer from Reus, since his last contract was renewed downwards.

In the last meeting of compromise partners, the president, Joan Laporta, recalled the difficult situation in the economic area to balance the uncontrolled salary mass: 656 million, 77% of ordinary income (856).

UEFA recommends not to exceed 70%.

“We have tried to talk to different players to lower their salary, but it did not work out.

Not only did it not happen, but we have had to guarantee 10 million [for Koundé's registration].

If the reduction had occurred, that guarantee would not have been necessary, ”explained the president in front of the partners.

Piqué's salaries,

Alba and Busquets affect nearly 120 million in the wage bill.

The Barça director of football, Mateu Alemany, made it clear what he thinks: "We want these contracts to disappear."

While Busquets' contract expires in 2023, those of Alba and Piqué extend until 2024.

It happens, in any case, that not only in the board do they look suspiciously at the captains.

Busquets, until now untouchable in the eleven, was left in the trigger after the draw against Inter.

“Xavi likes a positional pivot”, they defended from the Barça sports area.

But a midfielder's blunder resulted in the second goal for the Italian team.

"It's a mistake that can't happen in elite football," complained Xavi, who swapped Busquets for De Jong just after Lautaro Martínez's goal.

“We know how this club works.

When things don't go well, you look at the veterans.

Nothing to worry about.

Nothing new ”, they maintain from the environment of the pivot.

The club put Jordi Alba on the market until the last day of the summer sale.

In fact, even an alleged offer from Inter was leaked that was denied from the player's environment.

The fact is that the winger has competition on the left side (Marcos Alonso and Balde) and plays little with Xavi: 382 minutes of the 1,080 that the Barça team has in the season, 35% of the time.

Piqué's situation is the most delicate.

At the end of last season, Xavi explained that he didn't count on him for his project.

“Gerard should take his words more seriously,” a board member complains.

In 2020, after the catastrophic defeat against Bayern in Lisbon, the center-back stated: “I am the first to offer myself.

If I have to leave for new blood to come, I'm leaving."

A year later, in an interview with this newspaper, he remarked: "I will not agree to retire as a substitute."

However, when Xavi opened the exit door for him, Piqué, according to TV3, replied: "If you have the guts, bring the best central defender in the world, who will come as a substitute."

With Koundé, Araujo and Christensen in the infirmary, the center-back took the field against Inter.

His party became a meme on social networks,

Xavi did not beat around the bush in his analysis of the match.

“The first part was excellent.

In the second part, the punctual errors began”, he explained in the press room.

Xavi's observation did not attract the attention of the board.

Yes, on the other hand, he sharpened a thought that expands in the Camp Nou offices.

“Zero self-criticism”, they complain from the sports area.

“There is no plan b.

There is only one speech and one plan.

The moment there is something that goes wrong, nothing changes”, add the same sources.

This Thursday, Xavi spoke with his squad.

The message was clear, above all optimistic.

"We can have a great season," he reminded them.

Barça is the leader of the League and the coach is confident of recovering the level prior to the national team break that left the team with a balance of five injured players (the three central defenders were joined by Bellerín, in a training session in Barcelona, ​​and Memphis De Jong recovered).

"This October calendar is ridiculous for us," a Barça footballer complains.

Barça, in any case, has eight games left before the break for the World Cup.

"Now it's time to go for everything," they insist at the Ciudad Deportiva.

In the Champions League, a miracle is needed to continue, but Barça does not want to lose the pulse with Madrid.

"For the sporty, of course, but also for the economic," recalls a member of the board.

Barcelona had budgeted to reach the quarterfinals in the Champions League.

The azulgrana, as planned, will stop receiving 20.2 million if they do not reach that goal.

However, Eduard Romeu, Barça's economic vice president, assured that, in the balance of last season, the net cost of having been left out of the Champions League was estimated at 12 million.

"You have to deduct expenses," he said.

What is clear is that the value of the Barça brand cracks when the first team forgets about the fight for Orejona.

"There are two issues," they explain from the club's brand area.

“One is objective.

The audiences of the Champions are not the same as those of the Europa League.

People stop seeing you”, they explain.

And they add: “The other issue is that of prestige.

One year nothing happens, but when it repeats it is a problem.

The virtual elimination of the Champions League opens the crack in Barça, economically and also in sports.

Xavi is already working to rescue the squad.

“Let's go for the League”, he told his players.

On Sunday they visit the Santiago Bernabéu.

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