'I tried to make changes but I failed' - Abidal says farewell to Barca

Eric Abidal insisted that he tried his hardest to make Barcelona a better-run football club but fell short in an open letter released following his resignation as technical director on Tuesday. 

Abidal, who as a player at Camp Nou became a firm favourite, rejoined the Catalans in 2018 as the successor to Robert Fernandez in the role. 

But his tenure coincided with a run of mixed results for the Blaugrana and severe criticisms of the club's transfer policy, while Abidal was also questioned for a public exchange with captain Lionel Messi earlier in 2020 after appearing to criticise the team's work-rate following the departure of Ernesto Valverde. 

Quique Setien became Barca's second coaching casualty in less than eight months when he was sacked in the wake of Friday's 8-2 Champions League humiliation at the hands of Bayern Munich, and despite early assurances that he would stay on in the boardroom, Abidal followed the ex-trainer by stepping down on Tuesday barely 24 hours later. 

Ramon Planes, who had previously acted as Abidal's assistant in deciding on footballing matters, was subsequently promoted to the technical director position, while Barcelona also moved quickly to confirm ex-player Ronald Koeman as Setien's successor. 

The Frenchman finally broke his silence on Thursday, making his first public statement via Instagram as he affirmed that the decision to part company with the club was his own. 

 

 

 

 

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Benvolguts/des Barcelonistes, Vull aprofitar aquestes línies per acomiadar-me de tots vosaltres. Ho faig des de l’agraïment mes profund per haver pogut compartir dues etapes importants de la meva vida. Una com a jugador i un altre com a responsable de la Secretaria Tècnica del FC Barcelona. Aquest segon comiat contempla 2 anys en els que he intentat treballar per fer un Barça millor. Dues temporades intenses que he Donat de finalitzades per decisió pròpia. Malgrat que la Junta Directiva hem va ratificar dilluns en el meu càrrec, dimarts passat vaig presentar la meva dimissió. En els darrers dos anys he intentat ralitzar canvis que creia molt importants per al futur del primer equip. Malgrat el meu convenciment i la meva insistència no ho he aconseguit. Es per això que crec que ha arribat el moment de possar punt i final a la meva vinculació amb el club. Vull deixar constància de que he renunciat a l’any de contracte que encara tenia amb el FCBarcelona. Avui la situació del club es complicada, però no tingueu cap dubte de que desitjo de tot cor que es pugui superar i que els èxits tornin aviat tal i com es mereix aquest gran club. Gràcies eternes a tots. Visca el Barça i Visca Catalunya. Eric Abidal

A post shared by E.Abidal Official (@abi22ericabidal) on Aug 20, 2020 at 4:01am PDT

“Over the last two years, I tried to make changes that I thought were very important for the first team," Abidal explained. 

"But, despite my conviction and persistence, I failed. This second goodbye brings to a close two years where I tried to work to make Barcelona better.

"Two intense seasons which I decided to bring to an end on my own accord.

"Whilst the board gave me a vote of confidence on Monday, I provided my resignation on Tuesday, waiving the rights to the final year of my contract with Barcelona.

"The moment has come to draw a line under the link between me and the club.

"Right now the club's situation is complicated, but be in no doubt that I hope with all my heart that it will recover and that success soon returns just as this great club deserves."