The fall of Barcelona. [A Thread]

Starting off with the fall of La Masia, undoubtedly the most notorious and greatest footballing academy in recent years, producing the likes of Xavi, Messi, Iniesta, Alba, Puyol, Valdes and Busquets.

There’s no doubt La Masia has stalled since it’s golden era of the 00’s, with the only players coming through now being Ansu Fati & Riqui Puig. Recently, there has been a much more results-focused style of management at Barcelona with recent managers being reluctant to give

La Masia products a chance. This was clear in April 2018 when Barça lined up without a single La Masia player in their starting XI for the first time in 16 years. Another reason for the lack of first team chances given to youth prospects has been the signing policy in use, with

Barcelona opting to buy players like Lucas Digne, Andre Gomes & Paulinho instead of developing Grimaldo, Aleña and leaving Roberto waiting for a chance. Bartomeu has also promised big money signings in order to fuel his election campaign which has saw players like Coutinho,

Griezmann and Dembele all flopping at the Camp Nou whilst taking up spots in the starting 11 and making it harder for youngsters to break into the squad. The big money spent on such names has also added pressure into the mix for Barcelona to get results and win trophies,

Leading to more results-based football being played rather than the traditional tiki Taka which we know as being part of the Barça DNA. This has also been evident throughout the youth system, with many arguing that the teams have became much more driven towards results during

Matches rather than playing great football which will develop the players further, like we have been used to. Moving on from La Masia and picking up on the transfer policy again during the Bartomeu reign, it’s been a key reason for the clubs failure.

The signings of players such as Paulinho, Boateng, Turan, Vermalen, Andre Gomes, Alcacer and many more have been pretty much injustifiable for the money they have spent. Numerous mediocre players have been brought into the club in recent years and big money has been wasted on

Players who simply aren’t good enough to play for Barcelona and who don’t improve the team in any way. Furthermore, the failure and choice of managers appointed at Barcelona since Enrique has been evident, with neither Valverde or Setién getting the best out of the team.

Bartomeu has also caused division between the offices at the club and the dressing room, with Messi and Pique hitting out at the Barcelona board due to allegations that the board hired a PR company to use social media accounts to boost the profile of the board and attack their

Perceived enemies, including Messi. Messi also claimed that the board at Barcelona leaked details of negotiations between the players and board over a proposed wage cut due to the COVID-19 outbreak, in order to pressure the players into taking it which Messi claims they were

Going to do anyways. Pique has also referred to a journalist on twitter defending Bartomeu and blaming the players for the downfall of Barcelona as a “titella”, meaning puppet. Overall, it’s clear that many problems have lead to the downfall of Barcelona

With only a minority being discussed in this thread, but what’s clear is Bartomeu must go and cannot be allowed to even see out the rest of his term. A key to Barça’s failure and a stain on the club, with nothing but disrespect towards it. #BartomeuOut #Barça #Barcelona #Messi