Barcelona on brink of SACKING manager Ernesto Valverde after 4-0 humiliation by Liverpool dumped them out of Champions League for second year in a row
- Barcelona suffered humiliation against Liverpool, losing 4-0 on Tuesday night
- They were unable to hang on to 3-0 first leg lead and crashed out at Anfield
- Manager Ernesto Valverde stands on the brink of the sack following their exit
- It comes 12 months after a similar exit from Champions League against Roma
- Valverde has only just signed a new contract but he is still likely to be dismissed
Barcelona manager Ernesto Valverde is reportedly on the verge of the sack following their Champions League humiliation at Liverpool.
The Catalans threw away a three-goal first leg lead to lose 4-0 at Anfield in Tuesday night’s semi-final, second leg.
It followed a similar surrender of a three-goal advantage to Roma in last season’s quarter-finals.
Ernesto Valverde cuts a forlorn figure on the touchline as Barcelona suffer a 4-0 defeat
The Barcelona manager now reportedly faces the sack following the humiliation at Anfield
On that occasion, Valverde was saved by the fact Barcelona won both La Liga and the Copa del Rey.
But even though Barcelona have already retained their league title and are into the final of the cup this season, it likely won’t be enough to save Valverde.
According to Spanish newspaper Marca , Valverde is ‘on the edge of the abyss’ and his future is in doubt despite only renewing his Nou Camp contract a few months ago.
Marca say his new deal is ‘not unbreakable’ and his future at the club is extremely precarious.
Valverde has come under particular pressure in the Spanish media for his conservative team selection and sticking with the ineffective Philippe Coutinho for so long at Anfield.
Divock Origi and Georginio Wijnaldum scored two goals apiece as Liverpool set up a final against either Tottenham or Ajax in Madrid on June 1.
Valverde has only recently signed a new contract with Barcelona but now faces the sack
It was a chastening evening for Lionel Messi and all the Barcelona team on Merseyside
Barcelona easily retained their league title – they sit nine points clear of second-placed Atletico Madrid with two matches to play and some distance ahead of rivals Real Madrid.
They face Valencia in the final of the Copa del Rey in Seville on May 25.
‘I do not know how it’s going to affect me. Here we are, the coach has to take responsibility,’ Valverde said in the aftermath of the defeat.
‘It’s very painful for us, especially for our people, it’s the second year they’ve come back like that.
‘Things got on top of us after those two quick goals [from Wijnaldum]. We didn’t manage to get on the scoresheet and they rolled us over really.
‘They surprised us with the fourth goal – presumably my players weren’t looking. Liverpool were street smart and they scored.’
He added: ‘It’s happened again, it happened last year.
Valverde crouches in his technical area as Liverpool take control of the second leg at Anfield
The humbling by Liverpool came 12 months after Valverde’s Barcelona lost similarly to Roma
‘It’s true that it has been different games, the first leg and second leg.
‘They started really well, and they pinned us back. Early goal, we reacted well after that.
‘We managed to control things a little bit in the second half of the first half. We had half chances to score.
‘I think that we conceded two goals and then they really kind of got on top of us after those two quick concessions.
‘We haven’t managed to get on the scoresheet tonight. They scored two in two and they kind of us rolled us over, really.
There was similar dejection for Messi when they surrendered a 4-1 lead to Roma last season
‘They have been really strong, they played really well. We’ve got to congratulate them on the performance they put up in the tie as a whole.
‘It is a terrible result for our fans and for ourselves. We didn’t expect a situation like this. This is what has happened to us.
‘It is really, really unfortunate but credit is due to Liverpool.’
