Barcelona sack sporting director Eric Abidal after disastrous end to season and failings in transfer market

BARCELONA have sacked sporting director Eric Abidal to continue their major shake-up.

In the aftermath of the LaLiga giants' 8-2 defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League, Abidal becomes the second major casualty of the Barcelona hierarchy.

On Tuesday, the Catalans confirmed their former left-back's exit after two years in the role.

He follows coach Quique Setien in leaving the club at the end of a first trophy-less campaign in 12 years.

A statement read: "FC Barcelona and Eric Abidal have reached an agreement for the ending of the contract that united the two parties.

"The Club would publicly like to thank Eric Abidal for his professionalism, commitment, dedication and the close and positive nature of his relationship with all aspects of the blaugrana family."

Abidal was a surprise appointment to oversee Barcelona's transfers in 2018.

The defender was a popular player in his first six years at the club, where he won eight major trophies while battling liver problems that eventually required a transplant.

His first summer in charge saw little star power arrive but Clement Lenglet, Arturo Vidal and Arthur Melo were competent first-team players alongside the flop that was Malcom.

Antoine Griezmann was the marquee signing of last summer and his £108million move has so far failed to set the world alight.

Meanwhile, the decision to sack Ernesto Valverde and replace the two-time LaLiga winner with Setien has backfired considerably.

After Abidal suggested the players "weren’t satisfied or working hard" under their former coach, the Frenchman was on the end of a barb from Lionel Messi.

The Argentine stated: "The heads of the sports department have to take their responsibilities too and above all own the decisions they make.