After Barcelona’s 4-0 hammering at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain and the subsequent murmurings surrounding Luis Enrique’s position as first-team coach at the club, it seems that a parting of the ways in the summer is inevitable.

For a start, Enrique’s own reluctance to sign a new contract speaks volumes — his current one runs out at the end of June.

Add to that Jorge Sampaoli’s “I’m only concentrating on Sevilla” answer to every question about whether he wants the job, rather than ruling it out, and it’s not hard to see where things are heading.

Privately, some close to him have acknowledged he does want the job, and with a low buyout clause of approximately €1.5m (Dh5.8 million) he is well within the Catalans reach.

Lionel Messi has apparently also made it known that Sampaoli is his preferred choice, as have other senior squad members. With rumours continuing to swirl over Messi’s own future, can the club risk upsetting their star man?

Ernesto Valverde’s name has been mentioned in dispatches and whilst he is a ‘safer’ bet in terms of style than his contemporary, Barcelona don’t need safe at this juncture.

Sevilla have been arguably the best team to watch in La Liga this season, win, lose or draw, with Sampaoli’s teams mirroring on the pitch his maniacal desire on the sidelines. He expects his players to give everything for the shirt and to excite the support in so-doing — and that’s where the former Chile coach is onto a winner.

Barcelona supporters have become used to a team under Enrique that, whilst still successful to this point in terms of silverware, don’t have a Plan B if things are starting to go wrong.

However, the board of the club will struggle because the playing style — from the first-team down to the most junior in Barca’s ranks at La Masia — is part of their identity. Sampoali won’t destroy that but he will certainly manipulate it and make the style more malleable dependant on the opponent.

It’s likely to be this thorny issue inside the corridors of power that are eating away at board members at this very moment. In one swoop they can pacify the squad and supporters but it comes at the risk of losing some of what they hold dear.

Sampaoli is not a yes man and will be expecting to do things his way. Monchi allowed him that free reign at Sevilla from the beginning and has been repaid in kind.

“Why practice one religion when there are another nine to choose from?” is a Sampaoli quote that may trouble the decision makers at the Camp Nou.

Yet, they can’t have failed to have been impressed at his tactical nous when Barcelona played at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan back in November, even though it was the visitors that ultimately emerged victorious on the day.

Watch this space…