The relationship between Ronald Koeman and Joan Laporta appears to have gone cold.
Koeman is on the edge of losing his job as Barcelona head coach after overseeing the worst start to a Champions League campaign in the club’s history.
A 3-0 defeat to Benfica last time out made it just one win in five games across all competitions for Barca, and it seems excuses over the strength of the team are no longer going to wash.
Koeman looks set to remain in charge for this weekend’s clash with Atletico Madrid, but heading into the international break that follows, the Dutchman could well be replaced.
Reports claim Barca are already speaking to candidates, and in the meantime, the relationship between Laporta and Koeman, which was never great, has been further strained.
According to Sport, on the plan back from Lisbon following the Benfica defeat, Laporta and Koeman did not talk.
The Barca president is said to have slept for much of the journey, and Koeman didn’t get a word from him.
The two are usually said to share conversations on the direction of the team on such journeys home, but that dialogue did not follow this particular defeat.
