Yet another drawback for Setién

BeSoccer 5 years ago 4.8k
Yet another drawback for Setién. AFP

Barcelona's triumph against Real Sociedad brought some needed relief in Barcelona, but it's not all good news. Jordi Alba's behaviour and words after the game have caused yet another worry for Quique Setién, whose list of issues to address gets longer every day.

Barcelona's second coach Eder Sarabia was caught in a foul-mouthed rant towards the squad during the Clasico, which has only served to escalate the ongoing tensions within the team.

Despite Quique Setién claiming the squad was "strong mentally", the team's performance this Saturday shows it is far from the case.

If a few days ago the spotlight was on Eder Sarabia, now it is Jordi Alba who is attracting attention after his actions during the match against Real Sociedad.

His gestures to the stands after the goal that was ruled out (covering his ears as Coutinho did a year ago) and his words to the press confirming his intention of protesting to the fans have not been well-received at all, adding yet another chapter to months of controversy. 

"I don't like being whistled in the 15th minute. Just like I respect everyone, they have to respect me. And I don't like us being whistled," explained the full-back in the mixed zone.

A clear and direct message to a crowd that, as 'AS' points out, has begun to blame the players for Barcelona's ongoing crisis. 

Real Madrid losing against Betis Sunday evening would bring Barça back on top, but it seems nothing can calm the waters in Barcelona by this point. 

The end of the season is around the corner, and with problems sparking up every week, the Barcelona board and the club's president Josep Maria Bartomeu will have to deal with the situation or risk their own positions. 

Mentioned in the news story

Jordi Alba
Barcelona