Quique Setien Reveals Barcelona Still Haven't Offered Him Compensation
By Tom Gott
Former Barcelona manager Quique Setien has admitted he has been forced to take the club to court because they are yet to offer him compensation for his dismissal.
Setien was sacked back in August after a poor run of form culminated in a humiliating 8-2 loss to Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-final, with Ronald Koeman arriving at Camp Nou to replace him soon after.
He still had a year remaining on his contract and is therefore entitled to compensation, and it was revealed back in September that Setien was prepared to take Barcelona to court if they refused to pay up.
Sitting down with El Partizado de COPE, Setien confessed he has no other choice but to sue his former employers because they are yet to even make him an offer.
"Barcelona haven't compensated me, nor have they offered me anything," Setien revealed. "They have not even called me to tell me that I have been sacked yet."
Setien's backroom staff, Eder Sarabia, Fran Soto and Jon Pascua, have all reached agreements with the club over compensation, although all three remained on Barcelona's payroll until November 6.
"It is evident that the club is going through a worrying moment, something that when you arrive is obvious and which directly affects sports performance," Sarabia added. "You always believe that from within you may be able to help solve it, but to us, despite putting everything on the table, it was impossible for us."
Setien's lawsuit comes at a tricky time for Barcelona, who are in the midst of a transitional period which will see a new president elected on January 24.
ℹ️ Barça's presidential election will be held on January 2️⃣4️⃣th
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) November 30, 2020
Unless current officials at the club can reach an agreement in the coming weeks, the trial could be delayed because of the new arrival at Camp Nou, which will complicate matters even further.
Life hasn't been perfect for Barcelona since Setien's dismissal. La Blaugrana currently sit seventh in La Liga, ten points behind leaders Real Sociedad with two games in hand, and they have won just four of their nine league matches so far.