Despite the unpaid wages, the crushing Champions League exit, and the eventual legal threats, Setien maintains that he does not regret the decision to move to Catalonia. The veteran coach revealed that he turned down a lucrative offer from Egypt to take the Barcelona job, a decision driven by footballing romanticism rather than finance.
"I do not regret having gone to Barca instead of Egypt," he explained.
However, looking back from his current vantage point, having recently spent time with Chinese Super League side Beijing Guoan, he admits to a sense of longing for a different timing. He alluded to the current environment at Barcelona, which stands in stark contrast to the toxic atmosphere of 2020.
"It is true that I would have liked it to have been another way, in a moment like the one Barca is in now, for example. With young people, excited kids, with enthusiasm and with a good atmosphere. It was totally different, sadly," he said.
In a twist of irony, the "good atmosphere" Setien envies is currently being overseen by Hansi Flick - the very man who managed Bayern to that infamous 8-2 drubbing. Rather than harbouring resentment, Setien offered high praise for the German’s impact on the current squad.
"The footballers are the protagonists. It seems to me that the influence of Flick is very high," Setien observed.
He went on to analyse the tactical bravery Flick has instilled in the current crop of La Masia graduates, acknowledging the high-risk nature of their defensive line.
"He is a very demanding man and the squad has accepted the proposal that he has brought. Although it seems like a suicidal idea sometimes, it gives much more to Barca than it takes away. He is making a young team that will grow with time. It seems to me a very solvent team and I like it."
