"It's been a good season", says Barcelona president Bartomeu
Josep Maria Bartomeu's comments after Sunday's futile final-day LaLiga win over Eibar have been met with derision in the Ciudad Condal.
"It's been a good season." These words by Barcelona chief Josep Maria Bartomeu, spoken immediately after the side's second-place LaLiga finish behind Real Madrid was confirmed on Sunday, have had Blaugrana observers up in arms today.
Ex-Barcelona president hits out at Bartomeu
Bartomeu's remark - which swiftly provoked a strongly-worded attack by former Barça president Joan Laporta, who on Twitter railed against the "lies, intoxication and manipulation [that] are holding this club hostage" - has dominated the day's panel discussions on Catalonia's radio stations.
Because it comes against the backdrop of calls for major surgery to a squad that has not delivered this term, a side starting to draw criticism for the privileges enjoyed by nailed-on starters and whose back-up players have failed to do the business.
Top-class signings, La Masia, Barcelona philosophy
In Barcelona, there is a desire for this board to show a greater capacity for self-criticism and, in addition to a new coach who can kickstart a new era (Luis Enrique's replacement is to be announced on 29 May and, barring a late change of direction, is set to be Ernesto Valverde), top-quality signings are being demanded - the talk is of players like Marco Verratti, Vitolo and Héctor Bellerín - along with a return to homegrown talent and the Barça philosophy.
That's what is being urged to prevent Real from leaving Barcelona behind - a Camp Nou outfit who had come into the season having won six of the previous eight Spanish league titles - and embarking on a period of hegemony.
Barça are under pressure to step up a process of renewal which, following the recruitment of an unsuccessful 'second unit', has this term proved to be a fiasco.
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