At the end of the previous La Liga season I asked myself: Is Ernesto Valverde the right manager for Fc Barcelona? The new season is only one match in and I already know the answer: no! Ernesto Valverde isn’t the right manager for Fc Barcelona. One look at the line-up of their match against Alaves was more than enough for my to take my conclusions.

Ernesto Valverde changes FC Barcelona

Ernesto Valverde is changing the club that once played the most exciting football of the world. Nowadays teams like Manchester City and Liverpool are the best teams to watch. I never skipped a match of Barca in the Pep Guardiola era. Even the years after he left, I kept watching them. No with Valverde, it’s a lot less exciting to watch them play. He played with three midfielders against Alaves. The likes of Sergio Busquets, Ivan Rakitic and Sergi Roberto formed the Barca midfield. Leaving Philippe Coutinho on the most expensive Barca bench ever. Leaving a player like Coutinho on the bench is a reason to sack the manager. You just can’t play with Roberto and Rakitic and put Coutinho on the bench, especially not when you’re the manager of Barcelona.

Fc Barcelona was always the club with an attacking style of play. They scored multiple goals every week, things we’re seeing from Man City at this moment. Now they look to be happy with a small victory over teams like Alaves. Valverde recognised his mistake and brought Coutinho in at half-time. But the second substitution he made was another reason why he shouldn’t be the manager of Barcelona. He took Dembele off and brought Brazilian midfielder Arthur, while he attacker Malcom stayed on the bench.

For me Barca lost the X-Factor that had in the past. I will watch them sometimes to see Messi play, but I will start missing their matches.