Part of FC Barcelona’s charm lies in their heritage, ethos and approach to football. In Ernesto Valverde and Paulinho, they have the unlikeliest of heroes.
The business end of the 2016-2017 season – FC Barcelona stumble once more. Their cycle is ending, and Real Madrid, their arch nemesis, are on the rise once more. The papers are awash with criticism of Luis Enrique all year long as Los Merengues waltz to La TwoMoreThanDecima and become the first team in the Champions League era to retain their title.
Lucho announced his departure after Barcelona were humbled in the Champions League that season by Paris Saint Germain at the Parc Des Princes. Somehow, the Blaugrana made a remontada happen at the Camp Nou and pumped in six goals. Three of them were after the 88th minute, all created or scored by a man who was fast staking claim as heir to the throne at Barcelona.
That Neymar was unsettled after seeing Messi ride the shoulders of his team-mates that night was just conjecture. That he forced through a move to Paris was a shocker in terms of the sheer financial implications. In a world where most luxury homes cost barely €2 million, Paris-Saint Germain would outlay 111 times that sum, and make Neymar, with some ease, the world’s most expensive player. And hence, began the ultimate wild goose chase for FC Barcelona. How do you replace the irreplaceable? How do you get another player to fit the club and their ethos like Ney did? Apart from the sheer numbers, there was the small matter of a scintillating attacking partnership with Messi and Suarez which lit up Spain for three full years.