Club have a leadership triumvirate that keeps affairs running despite significant challenges, and a new boss at the top will end the relationship
Over the past two years Barcelona have won four trophies, including a domestic treble last season, reached the semi-finals of the Champions League after a six-year absence, and are well on their way to reestablishing themselves as a force in Europe.
The latter might take just a little bit of time, especially after Hansi Flick made it clear, after his side lost to Paris Saint-Germain earlier this season, that they were nowhere the level of the very best in Europe.
That was further reinforced by the 3-0 defeat to Chelsea, even if a weaker position was made worse by Ronald Araujo’s red card.
This season Barcelona are still on course for a repetition of last season’s domestic treble. They have won the Spanish Super Cup, are top of La Liga even if with a single point, and are set to face Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey semi-finals with Real Madrid having exited the competition.
Winning in Europe will take something more, especially given Raphinha’s injury troubles and the lack of a suitable Robert Lewandowski replacement at No 9.
But there’s a clear pathway to success. And that’s why the March elections for Barcelona president will be so defining. The two chief candidates are current president Joan Laporta and Victor Font, who finished second to him in 2021.
Also in the running are Marc Ciria, Xavier Vilajoana and Joan Camprubi, who have all announced their intentions for candidacy.
There is the sense that a significant change at the top might throw a spanner in the works of what appears to be a delicately balanced relationship at the helm.
Barcelona’s triumvirate, president Laporta, manager Hansi Flick, and sporting director Deco have a working relationship that hides most flaws and keeps affairs running despite the significant challenges, most notably the financial problems that will rear their ugly head again in the summer.
That’s why it was interesting for Font to say this week that he intends to replace Deco if elected, choosing not to say who his choice would be because they were currently under contract with another club.
Deco has been sporting director for the last two years and Flick leaped to his support when the question was posed to him on Friday.
“I am happy about the situation with Deco,” Flick said. “We have the confidence with each other, we trust and believe in each other.
“We are looking for the same players, the same philosophy. He lets us work. This is the important thing. We have the calm in what we have to do, what is necessary to do. I never had this before. I appreciate this a lot.”
