Setien Confirms Barcelona Took Nearly Four Years to Settle Unpaid Wages
Former Barcelona head coach Quique Setien has revealed that it took the club almost four years to fully pay the wages owed to him following his dismissal in 2020, finally closing a prolonged financial dispute that reflected the club’s wider economic turmoil.
The 67-year-old confirmed the resolution during a radio interview in Spain, explaining that the outstanding payments have now been settled in full, bringing an end to a drawn-out process that followed his departure from Camp Nou after a turbulent spell in charge.
Setien’s exit came in August 2020 after just seven months in the role, but the financial consequences extended long beyond his final match. He was forced to pursue legal action to recover his salary, at a time when Barcelona’s liquidity crisis was becoming increasingly visible both on and off the pitch.
The delay matters within the broader context of Barcelona’s recent history. The club has spent several seasons restructuring debt, renegotiating contracts, and navigating strict financial controls, with Setien’s case becoming another example of how deeply the crisis affected former employees.
Setien arrived at Barcelona in January 2020, replacing Ernesto Valverde mid-season with a brief to restore the club’s traditional style of play. Instead, he inherited an ageing squad, internal instability, and a growing injury list that quickly undermined his plans.
The environment around the team was already fragile. Luis Suarez underwent knee surgery days before Setien’s appointment, while Ousmane Dembele soon suffered a serious hamstring injury. The lack of attacking options forced Barcelona into emergency solutions, leaving the new coach exposed during a decisive period of the season.
Several defining moments shaped his tenure. Barcelona finished second in La Liga after the post-lockdown restart, losing ground to Real Madrid, before suffering a historic 8-2 defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals in Lisbon.
That result effectively sealed Setien’s fate. Bayern’s aggressive pressing and physical dominance highlighted Barcelona’s structural decline, and the collapse became a symbol of the end of an era for the club.
The second half of Setien’s Barcelona story has been played out in legal offices rather than stadiums. While the Catalan club has now cleared its debt, the coach revealed he is still locked in a separate dispute with Villarreal, where he was dismissed in September 2023.
According to Setien, the case has been in court for over a year, with no payments received nearly three years after his departure. The situation has surprised him, particularly given Villarreal’s status as an established La Liga institution.
Despite everything, Setien insists he holds no regrets about accepting the Barcelona job. He turned down a lucrative offer from Egypt to take the role, driven by the opportunity rather than financial considerations.
Looking ahead, Setien believes the Barcelona he encountered in 2020 bears little resemblance to the club today. With a new generation emerging and renewed optimism under Hansi Flick, he views the current project as stable and forward-looking, even if it arrived at the wrong moment for him.