Andoni Zubizarreta never fully convinced the press or the fans during his spell as Barcelona's director of football. These are some of the factors behind his unsurprising sacking.
1.Centre-back chaos: Since age and a string of injuries got the better of Carles Puyol and the veteran finally hung up his boots, Barcelona have failed to land a suitable replacement. Last summer they paid over the odds for Jérémy Mathieu, a left-back by trade, while the high-profile central defender they did sign, Thomas Vermaelen, is still injured. The upshot is that Javier Mascherano continues to do a job as a stop-gap, while Luis Enrique is having to call on Gerard Piqué, whose best form is behind him.
2.The sale of Thiago and Cesc: With Xavi Hernández's retirement only a matter of time, Barça appeared to have two tailor-made, home-grown candidates in their ranks to take on the maestro's mantle in midfield. However, Pep Guardiola poached Thiago Alcántara for Bayern by paying his (bafflingly low) release clause and Cesc Fàbregas returned to London in the summer following Ivan Rakitic's arrival. The very same Rakitic whom Luis Enrique has overlooked in several big games this season.
3.Víctor Valdés's exit: A dressing-room leader and one of the most influential players for Barça in recent years, Valdés left the club under a cloud after failing to agree a new contract. Zubizarreta was unable or unwilling to persuade the goalkeeper, who had kept it steady between the 'Azulgranas' sticks for nearly a decade, to stay.
4.'Neymar-gate': Though he may have had nothing to do with the ins and outs of the transfer, Zubi's image was stained by the scandal over the signing of the Brazilian, particularly the lies over how much the forward cost.
5.The transfer ban and his 'parting shot': On Sunday the ex-keeper accepted his share of the blame for the transfer ban the club was given by FIFA, which the CAS recently rubber-stamped. However, he also suggested that club president Josep Maria Bartomeu was the main culprit, a dig that was probably the last nail in his coffin.
6.Complicity in the academy's fall from grace: Numerous promising home-grown players have been forced to leave the Camp Nou in recent years, seeking out pastures new both abroad and in Spain. Bojan, Marc Muniesa, Thiago, Isaac Cuenca and Cristian Tello are just a few examples. The time of Pep Guardiola and having 11 academy graduates in the starting line-up is long gone and La Masia's heyday looks to be over, despite the current coach's faith in the likes of Munir.
7.Unsuccessful succession planning: Guardiola's departure left Zubi with the tough task of finding a replacement for the best coach in the club's history. The bid for continuity through Tito Vilanova was thwarted by the former assistant's illness and subsequent passing. Tata Martino didn't work out as was hoped and Luis Enrique is already being questioned just months into his reign.
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