FC BARCELONA
Bartomeu: "Sarabia has to be mindful of how he acts"
The Barcelona president spoke about the team's very short squad and the sacking of Ernesto Valverde along with Eder Sarabia's role on the sideline.
Josep Maria Bartomeu is not happy with the current state of Barcelona. During a discussion held at the Círculo Ecuestre, the Barça president was interviewed by Santi Nolla and said that "the football being played by the team can be improved, we are in a process, in a phase of improvement."
"I am not satisfied despite being first," he said. "But the progress has to come and it will come. We are expecting an improvement in the coming games."
Bartomeu made to change manager mid-season for the first time since Louis van Gall was sacked by the board in 2003. He justified the decision saying, "Barcelona is a club of managers, not presidents. The managers carry weight but we needed an impetus like Setien. The team is motivated and ambitious. We aspire to win all of the titles."
The president of the club says that the players in the dressing room "don't handle things, they give their opinion." He reiterated that point and says he has been making it for the last two years.
Barcelona have been criticized for their small squad and the problems it has presented but Bartomeu says it "was a decision made by the technical secretary and the manager."
Eder Sarabia, Setien's assistant, was filmed shouting at players during the Clásico and reports suggested that the dressing room was not best pleased with his performance. Setien told him to calm down and he has apologised to the players. Bartomeu says: "I'm happy with him and Setién but he has to be mindful of how he acts."