Next week, the Spanish coach will receive the final installment of the four million euros in compensation he is owed after being dismissed by Barcelona... in 2020.
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Quique Setién’s tenure as Barcelona coach was a turbulent and short-lived chapter in the club’s history.
Appointed in January 2020, the experienced Spanish coach was brought in to replace Ernesto Valverde with the hope of rejuvenating the team's style of play, aligning more closely with the traditional possession-based football that the club had long been known for. Setién, known for his tactical philosophy, which emphasized ball control and attacking football, seemed to be a natural fit for Barcelona's ethos. However, his stint at the Catalan club was overshadowed by poor results and culminated in one of the most humiliating defeats in Barcelona's illustrious history.
Setién was relieved of his duties just seven months after taking charge, following a catastrophic 8-2 loss to Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League in August 2020. The match, played at Lisbon's Estádio da Luz, is remembered as one of the darkest days for Barcelona, and it marked the end of an era for the club. This defeat not only led to Setién’s dismissal but also prompted a period of introspection and change at Barcelona, including a managerial overhaul and a subsequent shift in the club’s direction under new leadership.
Despite the acrimonious end to his time at Barcelona, it took several years for the financial settlement between Setién and the club to be finalized. Barcelona had agreed to pay Setién approximately four million euros in compensation after his dismissal. However, due to the club’s well-documented financial struggles in the years following his departure, the payments were stretched out over a longer period. According to reports from Marca, the Spanish newspaper, the final installment of this compensation will be paid in the coming week, more than four years after Setién’s dismissal.
Setién’s record at Barcelona was not entirely without merit, though his short time in charge was marred by inconsistency. Under his guidance, Barcelona managed 16 wins in 25 matches across all competitions. However, despite these victories, the team struggled to find cohesion, and key defeats especially in high-stakes matches defined his tenure. In La Liga, Setién's Barcelona finished second, five points behind archrivals Real Madrid, a disappointing outcome for a club used to competing for the top honors.
Following his departure from Barcelona, Setién remained out of management for a period of time. In 2022, he returned to the touchline with Villarreal, taking charge of the team during the 2022/23 season. His return to management was met with interest, as many were curious to see if he could revive his reputation after the Barcelona debacle. However, his time with Villarreal was also short-lived, as he left the club at the start of the following season.
Setién’s post-Barcelona career, like his time at the club, has been marked by mixed fortunes. The final resolution of his compensation case with Barcelona closes a significant chapter in his coaching career. For Barcelona, the settlement also symbolizes the end of an era in which the club struggled with both financial and sporting challenges.
As Barcelona continues to rebuild and stabilize under the leadership of Xavi Hernández, Setién’s brief and troubled time at the club will likely be remembered as part of a difficult transitional phase. Meanwhile, Setién, despite the setbacks, remains a respected figure in Spanish football for his tactical acumen and commitment to his footballing philosophy, and it remains to be seen whether he will seek new challenges in management in the near future.
The delayed compensation settlement is a reminder of Barcelona's financial difficulties in recent years, a period marked by mounting debt, mismanagement, and an overreliance on star players. Since Setién’s departure, Barcelona has made strides in rectifying their financial position, although the club continues to navigate financial constraints imposed by La Liga.
