Madrid: Barcelona have sacked Eric Abidal as sporting director, the club announced in a statement on Tuesday, a day after dismissing coach Quique Setien.
“FC Barcelona and Eric Abidal have reached an agreement for the ending of the contract that united them,” the club said on its website.
Like Setien, Abidal, a former French international defender, has paid the price after Barca ended a season of internal conflict by surrendering the La Liga title to Real Madrid and then suffering a humiliating 8-2 loss to Bayern Munich in the Champions League.
Barca, who are set to appoint Ronald Koeman as their new coach after sacking Quique Setien, will be trying to reclaim the Spanish title after finishing second last season to Real Madrid.
Meanwhile, Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen will miss the start of the next La Liga season after undergoing knee surgery which will rule him out for two and a half months, the club said.
Ter Stegen, who had one of the worst nights of his career last Friday when Barca were trounced 8-2 by Bayern Munich in the Champions League, volunteered to undergo the operation on the right patellar tendon in his right knee in order to prevent future damage.
Barca are now set to start the campaign on September 12 with Brazilian keeper Neto, 31, who made five appearances in all competitions last season after joining from Valencia.
Until German Ter Stegen returns to action, Neto will face competition from 21-year-old Inaki Pena, the reserve goalkeeper who is yet to make his debut for the first team.
