Barcelona News: Reports suggest Ernesto Valverde will be relieved of his Barcelona duty

What's the story?

According to a report from ESPN, Ernesto Valverde faces an uncertain future at the club after the catastrophe against the Reds. Barcelona threw away a three-goal cushion against Liverpool on Tuesday to get knocked out of the Champions League.

In case you didn't know...

Ernesto Valverde replaced Luis Enrique as the head coach of the Blaugrana in 2017. His tenure at FC Barcelona is a relative success, winning two La Liga titles and a Copa Del Rey.

Barcelona's semi-final appearance in the ongoing Champions League tournament was their first in three years.

Valverde has failed to deliver for Barca on the European front, his side succumbed to AS Roma in the quarter-final last year, and suffered a similar fate against Liverpool in the final-four round this year.

The heart of the matter

Ernesto Valverde opted for a pragmatic approach during his tenure at Barcelona, especially after AS Roma's stunning comeback victory last season. He focussed on solidifying the foundations of his team's play, deploying his players in a disciplined 4-4-2 shape for the European matches.

The Azulgrana boss has stripped his side of their lucidity and emphasized on the players' defensive duties. Valverde's tactical stiffness cost his team in a number of crucial Champions League occasions.

Ernesto Valverde addressed the media for the post-match conference and said his side have 'no excuses' after their humbling at the Anfield.

“They were better than us and we have to accept it. Their second goal hurt us massively and the third one came straight after that. We did not convert our chances into goals.

“When a team overturns a lead like that and fights back like they have done, there can be no excuses. We suspected Liverpool would play higher up the pitch than last week – they did that and we weren’t capable of shaking off their high press.

What's next?

Barcelona side faces Getafe CF for a La Liga clash, a potential dead rubber for the former side. El Geta are fighting for a Champions League spot and has all to play for on Sunday.