Setien's Small Changes That Didn't Change Barcelona's Conditions

Ernesto Valverde dan Quique Setien (Twitter @marca)

JAKARTA - Since replacing Ernesto Valverde on January 13, Quique Setien has not made any significant changes to Barcelona's body. He arrived in Catalonia with great enthusiasm and a desire to change things, but had not succeeded in improving his predecessor.

Setien has won 64 per cent of the games he has led, while Valverde has won 62 per cent of his games this season. In 26 matches under their former coach, Barcelona have lost four, while in the last 11 games with Setien on the bench, they have suffered three defeats.

Ververde left the team while they were top of the league, even though he lost the Supercopa de Espana trophy. After Setien's arrival, Barcelona were second to Real Madrid and they were eliminated from the Copa del Rey event.

Moreover, the Catalan team gave no signs of change both in game and in the atmosphere under their new coach. Setien has tried to introduce some tactical systems, such as building the game from behind, but it hasn't worked.

Barcelona have not been impressive in 2020 and they rely heavily on Lionel Messi. Especially after they lost Luis Suarez and Ousmane Dembele.

The Blaugrana also have two different faces when they play at home and away. At the Camp Nou, they completely dominate the opponent. Meanwhile, at home to their opponents, they recorded seven defeats and five draws.

Meanwhile, Barca's 2-0 defeat to Madrid in the El Clasico match on Sunday made Setien the newest Blaugrana coach to be the victim of the 'Clasico Curse'.

Setien is now the third consecutive Barcelona coach to lose in his first El Clasico match. Luis Enrique started that streak of defeats in 2014 when he was beaten by Los Blancos 3-1, while Valverde suffered the same pain in 2017 at the Supercopa de Espana.

It has been seven years since the last Blaugrana coach won their first El Clasico win. Gerardo Martino did it in 2013 when he beat Los Merengues, who was then coached by Carlo Ancelotti.