Former Barcelona coach Quique Setien along with three of his assistants announced on Thursday, that they would be suing the club for failing to fulfil the terms of their contracts after being sacked almost a month ago.
In a joint statement with assistants Eder Sarabia, Jon Pascua and Fran Soto released on his official Twitter account, Setien said he had only received written notice of the termination of his contract on September 16, having been sacked on August 17. He said he had not received any compensation from the club a month after being sacked.
Setien says Bartomeu never spoke to him about terms of sacking, just yesterday he received written dismissal, without any mention of settlement of contract. So he and fellow coaches are taking club to court. https://t.co/j1LyuibzlJ
— Dermot Corrigan (@dermotmcorrigan) September 17, 2020
Setien was appointed Barcelona coach in January after Ernesto Valverde was dismissed but he was sacked in August after the team ended the season empty handed and lost 8-2 to Bayern Munich in the Champions League semi-final, the club’s worst ever defeat in European competition.
“After a month of absolute silence from Barcelona’s board of directors, and after diverse demands on our behalf, we did not receive any communication from the club until receiving a letter yesterday via burofax (recorded delivery),” said the statement.
“Said letter revealed the clear intention from the club to not comply with contracts we signed on January 14 2020.”
The statement added: “Given everything expressed above, we have felt the need for our lawyers to find a solution to this conflict and take the corresponding legal action, in order to preserve our rights and everything we had previously agreed with Barcelona.”
Barcelona's La Liga opener against Villarreal could have an important absence: Ronald Koeman. The RFEF hasn't been able to register the Dutch coach yet, because there's a dispute between Barcelona and Setién over the settlement of the year remaining he had on his contract. [cope] pic.twitter.com/vp69cn1yHg
— barcacentre (@barcacentre) September 17, 2020
This dispute also means that the current manager of FC Barcelona, Ronald Koeman would have to take charge of the team from the stands as he will not be allowed on the touchline for the club’s season opener against Villarreal as he is yet to be registered officially due to the unclear circumstances of Setien’s sacking.
Setien’s complaint piled yet more pressure on president Josep Maria Bartomeu, less than an hour after a group seeking his removal announced they had gathered enough signatures to force a vote of no-confidence against him.
