Luis Enrique said goodbye and Valverde arrived. The change in the dug-out appeared to be a simple transition, with the main pillars remaining. Barcelona eyed the market with a sense of hope and excitement. Verratti, one of the best midfielders in the world, was named Xavi's successor at the Camp Nou. The Italian would strengthen a slightly weakened midfield, providing the final pass for what was quite possibly the best attacking trio in the world, the so-called 'msn'.
But a series of unfortunate events put an end to the high hopes at the Camp Nou. It all kicked off after Deulofeu's return to Barcelona. An academy product made his way back to his childhood club, this time for good. The club's supporters were thrilled, as Bartomeu also announced a pact with Leo Messi over his contract renewal.
But after the calm, came the storm. The Argentine never put pen to paper and Verratti, following weeks of speculation and rumours, revealed his decision to stay in Paris on PSG's own TV channel. 'There was some contact with Barcelona, but nothing happened', the Italian assured recently.
In the wake of Verratti's rejection, came Neymar. The Brazilian accepted a lucrative deal from PSG and decided to switch sides. It was all very fast. Barcelona struggled to adjust to the fact that one of the club's heroes had become a traitor.
The first half of August saw Barcelona take their mind off the transfer window. The Spanish Super Cup was the stage to regain the trust from supporters. However, the team failed to emerge from the ashes and both 'Clasicos' only confirmed Real Madrid's hegemony.
'It's the first time we were inferior to Real Madrid', Gerard Pique stated after the second leg of the Supercopa. After the heavy defeat, the flames of Barcelona's hellish summer continued to burn. Luis Suarez's injury, Dortmund's firm stance on Dembele, Liverpool's refusal to sell Coutinho and the signing of Paulinho, a player who has spent the last two seasons in China and has not excited the fans.
The tense situation which began with Verratti's rebuff culminated in Tuesday's rebellion. Many heavyweights in the Barcelona dressing room appeared to show contempt for the club's directives with photos of a reunion with Neymar... the very same day the club had threatened to take legal action against the Brazilian.
Fortunately for Barcelona, the summer is coming to an end. But the task of putting out the fire between the board and the players seems a complicated task. Barcelona want to shine again but, to do so, squad and directives will have to make peace.