Valverde's decision FC Barcelona Future is still up in the air

The strength of the contemporary cycles of Barcelona is palpable when remembering who the last coach was to be dismissed mid-season.

Much has happened since the club dispensed with Louis Van Gaal in January 2003 because of the poor performance of the team.

After his dismissal, Radomir Antic, Frank Rijkaard, Pep Guardiola, Tito Vilanova, Gerardo Martino, Luis Enrique and Ernesto Valverde have taken the reins.

Those who triumphed, except for the ill-fated Vilanova, left when they wanted.

And in the case of those who didn't succeed, the club always preferred to wait until the following summer to take action.

Thanks in large part to Leo Messi, the principal architect of seven of the last 10 league titles, coaches have accumulated credit that has allowed them to determine their future.

This tendency, added to the permanence of the Argentinian as a reference point for the team, practically ensures that there are no changes on the bench in the middle of the season.

However, this peace of mind leads to some uncertainty when the contracts of the coaches come to an end.

It happened with Guardiola, who renewed year after year until he left in 2012.

Luis Enrique waited until the beginning of March of 2017 to announce that he would leave after three seasons, and history will repeat itself with Valverde, whose continuity depends only on him.

When he arrived at Barcelona, the 'Txingurri' signed for two fixed years and one optional one.

And midway through his second year, he has not yet communicated whether there will be a third.

In public he has barely given clues on the subject.

"Coaches go from day to day and week to week," he has said on more than one occasion.

Meanwhile, in private the club are still giving him time.

A few days ago, a meeting was held to deal with the signing of a centre-back in the winter market, and Valverde's future was not a topic of conversation.

But this patience has an expiration date, because the club will ask him to define his plans in February, so as not to be late in the search for a hypothetical replacement.

If Valverde continues, the contract will remain in force until 2020, but if he decides to leave, according to what President Bartomeu said two months ago, "he will have to pay a penalty."

It would be a symbolic amount, though.

In any case, the president's strategy is to transmit security around the coach, whom he considers "very valid for the project."

The club are putting pressure on Valverde to decide one way or the other and time is running out.