Lionel Messi has a limited amount of time left.
As such, Barcelona find themselves in an awkward, uncompromising quandary of sorts because they need to refresh and replenish squad talents and start anew, boardroom complications notwithstanding.
The obvious pressing issue at the moment would be to address the head coach dilemma as the current Quique Setien quagmire needs to be addressed immediately although there seems to be a temporary lull in the earlier brewing storm after the coach and Barca’s talisman Messi had a quick tete-a-tete over the weekend for rapprochement and a truce after the Osasuna disaster and Real Madrid LaLiga triumph.
A recent report from L’Equippe has reviewed the managerial situation, and it looks like the plan will be to bundle Xavi as quickly as possible to take over at some point. Unfortunately that probably won’t happen for at least one more year as Xavi is still under contract in the Middle East, so another short term coach will be needed to steady the ship in the meantime.
The proposal has apparently been mooted by none other than Sporting Director Eric Abidal – he of whom had a fallout with Messi over the Valverde sacking – that the idea is to get someone experienced in to do that, and is looking to a fellow Frenchman to fill that role.
Laurent Blanc is experienced as a coach – he’s won league titles with Bordeaux and PSG, while his illustrious playing career should earn some modicum of respect from the players, it is at least hoped.
Yet because he’s Abidal’s first choice, which could make it a controversial one not easily accepted by the players, particularly Messi.
The Champions League game with Napoli is coming soon and Setien has been given the temporary reprieve to still be in charge for the Champions League, but most would expect him to be removed as soon as the competition is over.
Unless, of course, he should win it. Then Barca would truly have a huge decision to make.