So Xavi turned it down. Probably wise. Bit of a shit situation for Valverde though. From his point of view he can say that he is on course to win the league for the third time in a row and they are still in the Champions' League after topping their group. For most clubs that would be enough. Obviously Barcelona aren't most clubs but given they are dominant in the league it seems that there are two complaints that can be levelled at this side; they haven't won the CL and the way they are playing. Now, even Barcelona can't expect to completely dominate the CL because it's stuffed with all the teams who aren't most clubs, maybe a return of something like once every four years is reasonable, or maybe they are unhappy cos they have not made the final for a few years or maybe it's the manner in which they caved the last two times. Personally I think that that is the problem, the way they lost and the way they win when they do win - but partly the issue is spoilt fans, no-one can maintain the level they were at in 2012 or whatever it was forever, that can't be the normal. Same as Man Utd fans are finding out in the Prem. It's very hard to stay better than everyone else when there are about ten other clubs that are demanding the same and have the resources to make it just as realistic.
If I were Valverde I'd do my best to cling on until the end of the season, you never know, they might win the CL and suddenly he's a hero.
They could've won the CL last year and most fans would have still wanted him out.
Not one single player has improved under him. Barca fans are obviously looking at Klopp and Pep and watching how those guys are making their players better, while the opposite is happening over there. Coutinho is a good example. Brought for big money. Slid right in place for the first half season and looked like the saviour too balance out the creative overweight from Messi's right wing. Started by showing great alacrity, initiative and defensive responsibility. Really stood out in a team that was, and is, otherwise lethargic and timid. After that half a year, he looked around and saw that no-one was putting in the same work as him and started slagging off a bit. Then went the foundation of what he'd built his game on under Klopp and then went his confidence. Now, at Bayern, he's looking like a different player again. Dembele, Arthur, Semedo, Frenkie de Jong, Griezmann, none of them have progressed in any way whatsoever since their first game at Barca.
But really, the number one thing, the thing that exacerbates every other issue, lets pressure from opponents escalate into grand collapses and overall just makes for boring ass football, is that they don't run for each other. Absolutely no intensity. I think that's what fans are asking for more than anything.