Barcelona’s defeat to Levante piles the pressure right back on Ernesto Valverde after a few months of respite for the 55-year-old.
Valverde was lucky to escape the sack at the end of last season, came under pressure again after early defeats to Athletic Bilbao and Granada but had seen his team respond with seven straight wins.
Yet Barcelona’s capitulation against Levante, the team’s dismal showing, Valverde’s set up and inability to change the game as well as his decision to leave Ousmane Dembele out of his squad will attract deserved criticism.