On Friday, Tata Martino cheerfully branded his managerial spell at
Barcelona as a learning experience. Others, having to endure the same
first year in charge, may well have interpreted it an utter nightmare.
Indeed, so ridiculous and never-ending have been the off-the-field
issues at the Camp Nou that Martino might consider heading back to
Argentina to take over the national side - not typically known as an
easy ride - to enjoy a relatively quiet life.
The FIFA sanction that bans the club from signing players in the next
two transfer windows is just the latest in a string of institutional
issues that have dented Barcelona's standing, all of which have
supporters doubting the sanity of those running their club.
From Leo Messi's tax issues and Neymar's murky contract to former
president Sandro Rosell resigning, Tata Martino has had to handle it all
- it's ceratinly above and beyond the usual probes concerning the
relatively small size of the back four.
The shock news from Wednesday that relates to the club's contractual
handling of underage players saw current president Josep Bartomeu
calling conspiracy on the whole affair and announcing that Barcelona
will appeal FIFA's decision. Bartomeu has little choice considering a
failure to overturn the decision will potentially see José Pinto in goal
for the next 12 months and leave about one functioning centre-back.
"If and when we have proof we will make a formal complaint,"
announced Bartomeu on Thursday, who made a strong implication that an
external force (that may or may not rhyme with Leal Tadrid) could have
something to do with grassing up the club in its dealings within La
Masia, the power source of Barcelona's success.
Tata himself doesn't seem to know what to think about the whole dark
forces narrative. "The first thing I do when I wake up in the morning
now is see if I am still breathing. If you start thinking about dark
forces then it becomes difficult to work in football."
At least on Tuesday Barcelona only had to deal with the small matter
of Atlético Madrid in the Champions League and a 1-1 result that saw the
fourth draw between the two teams this season. The tie gives the
Rojiblancos the slight edge next weekend in the Vicente Calderón,
especially due to the news that the improving Gerard Piqué is out for a
month with a knacked pelvis.
Ahead of that clash, Barça are hosting bottom of the table Betis, a
team in an even bigger institutional mess than themselves. The Betis
club president resigned this week, having overseen a campaign durin
which three managers have been in charge of the club.
League leaders Atlético Madrid are also at home, and take on a flakey
Villarreal side that is in a tussle for the European places with
Sevilla and Real Sociedad. The latter of those teams will be hosting
Real Madrid in what is the toughest remaining challenge of the season
for Carlo Ancelotti's side.
A repeat of Madrid's last league outing - a loss at Sevilla - could
leave the capital city club in crisis mode in La Liga and pinning all of
hopes on a Champions League win, hopes on track after a comprehensive
midweek dismantling of Borussia Dortmund. The game saw Cristiano Ronaldo
limping off, and the Portuguese forward misses Saturday's trip to San
Sebastian.
Whilst Madrid's occasional slips into crisis this season are largely
sporting-related and therefore temporary, Barcelona potentially have a
huge problem on their hands that could impact the club over years to
come, missing out on transfer targets without the ability to do a thing
about it.
The next big issue might now involve the manager - a thorny issue in
itself over the past two years - with Tata Martino perhaps deciding to
cut his losses in La Liga and seek sanctuary in South America. At
Barcelona these days, pretty much anything is possible.
Tim Stannard - he's on the Twitter
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