Gerard Pique called for changes from top to bottom but 65 days have passed since the humilation by Bayern Munich and Barcelona’s recovery looks far from complete. 

Eight of the team that started the humiliation in Lisbon remain, despite Pique saying nobody should be safe. 

The club’s president, Josep Maria Bartomeu remains too, despite more than 16,000 members signing a petition to get rid of him. 

Luis Suarez was pushed out, eventually to Atletico Madrid, and Ronald Koeman replaced Quique Setien as coach in what were the most significant shifts in a supposedly revolutionary summer. 

But Koeman was never going to be an appointment that instantly won over the players while Suarez’s exit left Lionel Messi seething, another chance duly taken to criticise Bartomeu and the board. 

“It’s normal for a player to be a bit sad when a friend of his leaves after the years they had together but it’s part of football,” said Koeman.

 

Continue reading this article on Sports Desk, the new sports website by Times of Malta

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