FCB Success Case 2023 from the PMOfficer's perspective

Before starting this article, I have thought about those people who don't like football, but I hope that by the end of reading it, even though I don't believe it will change their perspective, I do hope they will like it because I have written it.

I know you are wondering why I have chosen FCB (Fútbol Club Barcelona), well, because it has many more similarities to a PMO than you can imagine, and by the end of the article, I am convinced that you will be able to understand it.

Initial Global Context (fast track - 2019).

At the end of 2019, FCB won their 26th league title, clinching their 7th title in the last 10 seasons. They also won the Spanish Super Cup and reached the Copa del Rey final, where they lost 2-1 to Valencia. However, their journey in the Champions League ended unexpectedly as they were eliminated in a baffling fashion by Liverpool.

At that time, the president of the club was Josep Maria Bartomeu. He had inherited a championship-winning team from previous presidents, first from Joan Laporta with Pep Guardiola as the coach, and later from Sandro Rosell with Luis Enrique. The team had achieved doubles, trebles, and, going further back, with Pep Guardiola, they had achieved an unprecedented sextuple, becoming the first team to accomplish it (now also achieved by Bayern Munich).

The squad boasted a great roster, with Lionel Messi as their shining star. By the end of 2019, the team still had a powerful lineup including players like Xavi Hernandez (current coach), Andrés Iniesta, Busquets, and others, ready to compete in all tournaments the following year.

Note: I don't want to delve further into the past beyond 2019 because, for the purpose of this article, it is crucial to understand the transition from 2019 to 2023.

PMO Phase: Initial Identification (AS-IS)

FCB Roadmap 2019 - 2022 vs PMO

Let's begin with the analogy between a PMO and FCB.

At the end of the 2019 season, cracks in the club started to become visible, led by the club's President, J.M. Bartomeu (C-Level Sponsor PMO).

All sporting and non-sporting decisions were being centralized in the hands of the president, instead of being delegated to specialized professionals in each area (player contracts, negotiations with club sponsors, relationship with other executives, decisions regarding new player signings to strengthen the team, and so on).

There were exorbitant salaries for many players following the treble they won a couple of years ago, as well as the continuous league, cup, and super cup victories. Nobody wants or can leave Bar?a because other teams cannot afford to pay the same, except for a few exceptions in England, which is currently the most economically and perhaps even sportingly powerful league.

PMO Phase: Audit

Scenario 2020 - Crisis Begins:

The coach (PMOfficer), despite being the league leader and having an excellent relationship with the players and the club, is dismissed (let go) after losing the Spanish Super Cup final.

A new coach, Quiqué Setien (PMOfficer), arrives but is unable to make any significant decisions during the sporting crisis. The team suffers the worst defeat in Barcelona's history, losing 8-2 to Bayern Munich in the Champions League. They are also eliminated from the Copa del Rey and do not compete effectively in the league, with Real Madrid becoming the champions.

The fanbase demands the president's removal, and the board of directors faces criticism. News leaks regarding the players' contracts being among the highest in the world. Additionally, the pandemic hits, causing the club, like many others, to lose millions and millions of euros, and Leo Messi expresses his desire to leave.

En el a?o 2023, the "Barcagate" scandal emerged, involving the infamous purchase of "arbitral reports" (note that this is NOT the same as buying referees to benefit in matches). The new 'Barcagate' scandal included allegations of bribing referees and a sanction that ultimately did not materialize due to the statute of limitations, as more than three years had passed since the alleged incidents took place.

PMO Phase: (RE) Design

Scenario 2021 - Triple Crisis: Sporting, Economic, and Social

A new coach (PMOfficer), Ronald Koeman, who was a hero in Barcelona's first Champions League triumph, is appointed. This brings some relief to the fanbase (external stakeholders), and the club releases statements suggesting that things are improving. However, club members and the opposition (internal stakeholders) remain unconvinced and demand early presidential elections, as well as an external audit of the club.

The team (operational level) appears to be rejuvenated, leading the league and winning the Copa del Rey. However, they are eliminated in the Champions League quarterfinals without truly competing against PSG.

The actual debt of the club, exceeding one billion euros, becomes public knowledge. This sparks a social crisis, leading to the resignation of several executives (strategic level). The president and the rest of the board are forced to step down. Players (execution/operational level) and fans worldwide (stakeholders) are left in shock.

The club faces the greatest crisis in its history, with a triple challenge encompassing sporting, economic, and social dimensions.

PMO Phase: Implementation

Scenario 2022 - Total Disaster and Club Reset

New elections are held, and the president from the era of the first treble and the only sextuple in the club's history returns. Optimism is in the air, and Leo Messi agrees to renew his contract. Players from other teams are attracted to Barcelona because the club's history and jersey hold significant weight, overshadowing the dark period of the past few years.

An external audit of the club reveals irregular payments approved by the previous board of directors. The club is on the verge of bankruptcy, unable to pay employee salaries, including those of the players. Urgent player sales become necessary, despite the coach's objections, resulting in a weakened team. New player signings and the renewal of Leo Messi's contract become impossible, and he departs for Paris to join PSG.

The football team starts the season poorly and struggles to regain form. The president decides to replace the coach, Ronald Koeman, with Xavi Hernández (PMOfficer), one of the greatest midfielders in the history of football and a key disciple of the continuous playstyle established by Pep Guardiola and the original philosophy of Johan Cruyff.

The managerial team welcomes Jordi Cruyff as the Sports Advisor (PMO Advisor), bringing extensive experience both on the field and in the offices. He assists the coach in the technical, sporting, and tactical aspects of the team. Mateu Alemany (PMO Consultant), widely regarded as one of the best in his role as Director of Football (also known as Sporting Director), joins the team. Alemany primarily handles negotiations with other clubs and players for transfers.

President Laporta activates the famous "financial levers," allowing the club to generate several hundred million euros in exchange for assets, sponsorship from new companies, and the sale of rights to build the new Espai Barca (new football stadium, primarily featuring a basketball court).

Payments are regularized, debts are amortized, and the club breathes a sigh of relief. The social mass becomes more at ease, and the team shows signs of improvement.

The season ends without any titles, but there is a sense of growing confidence and improved competitiveness, although not enough to contend for championships.

Throughout the season, the three experts in each sports area (the Coach as the PMOfficer, the Sports Advisor as the PMO Advisor, and the Director of Football as the PMO Consultant) work on executing game strategies while concurrently preparing for the next season (PMO strategy).

The decisions regarding player recruitment and creating the team (execution team) for competing in tournaments, pre-season, and addressing the challenges of the Qatar World Cup at the end of the year are made collectively by the Coach, Sports Advisor, and Director of Football.

PMO Phase: Leadership

Scenario 2023 - Resurrection and Execution of the Strategy

The strategy from the previous year, 2022, continues, but now there is a significant effort to bring in established players such as the goal scorer Robert Lewandowski, as well as other seasoned players like Koundé, Christensen, Kesie, Marcos Alonso, and Rapinha.

At the tactical level, there is a strong emphasis on giving full leadership opportunities to the young talents from La Masia, such as Pedri, Gavi, Balde, Ansu, Araujo, all ranging from 18 to 23 years old. Additionally, there are other young veterans like Dembelé, Koundé, de Jong, Eric García, Ferran Torres, and of course, alongside the experienced core of Busquets, Ter Stegen, Jordi Alba, and Sergi Roberto.

A competitive squad is assembled, composed of team members of the PMO, along with the technical staff, who are external team members of the PMO.

President Laporta, as the PMO Sponsor, fully delegates decision-making authority to the roles of the Coach (PMOfficer), Sports Advisor (PMO Advisor), and Director of Football (PMO Consultant). He refrains from interfering in any sporting decisions (tactical decisions at the PMO level) and focuses solely on the strategy, such as securing investors for Espai Barca, acquiring new sponsors, and improving institutional relations with La Liga, UEFA, and other teams in the Spanish league.

The team starts well, but Real Madrid is stronger. In the middle of the season, in the final of the Spanish Super Cup, FCB dominates Real Madrid with a great display, winning 4-1. It could have been an even more significant victory, marking not only the first trophy of the season but also a milestone for Xavi Hernandez as the coach of Barca and the new board of directors.

After the World Cup, Barca raises its level, surpasses Real Madrid, and after 4 years, regains the league title with a significant lead, securing the championship with 4 matchdays remaining.

Phase PMO: Continuous Improvement

Scenario 2024 - 2030: Continuity of the Model (Virtuous Circle)

The present scenario is very promising, but the future is even more exciting if the club continues to adhere to the key principles established at the sporting, economic, and institutional levels.

Economic Scenario: The club will continue to seek new sources of income through additional sponsorships, digital ventures, and the elimination of expenses without a return on investment. For example, Barca TV may be discontinued, which is unfortunate. New players will enter the club with well-structured contracts based on performance objectives.

Sporting Scenario: Players will be evaluated at the end of each season to determine if they meet the club's expectations. Those who do not will be communicated accordingly regarding their future with the club.

Best Wishes: The return of Messi currently stands at a 40-60 probability, depending on the aforementioned factors and whether Leo is willing to accept a significant reduction in salary.

Strategy for 2023: Enhance the team's performance by adding 3-4 players who can elevate the level of competition in the Champions League and increase profits.

Short-term Objective: Dominate Spanish football.

Mid-term Objective: Compete and succeed at the European level.

Long-term Objective: Regain global dominance in football, as was achieved during Guardiola's era.

Short-term Benefits: Bring joy to millions of fans worldwide by winning trophies.

Medium-term Benefits: Strengthen the club's financial stability, ensuring its continued ownership by the members.

Long-term Benefits: Restore the club's status as a global reference in football.

By adhering to these principles and objectives, the club can achieve sustained success and reestablish its position as a worldwide football powerhouse.

Special Mention

I want to give a very special mention because throughout this time, other sections of the club continue to win important trophies, such as the Women's Football team, the futsal team, handball, and basketball primarily. The reason? I believe that these sections operated independently from the board of directors and the previous president. Additionally, lower salaries allowed the skilled professionals in each section to continue working, which enabled them to keep winning.

Especially noteworthy is the women's team, which will be playing their third consecutive Champions League this year (won one and lost one), three consecutive league titles, and almost two years without a loss (they lost the week prior to this article). They have also won all the titles in the Spanish championship and have the first female Ballon d'Or winner from Spain, Alexia Putellas, who has won it two years in a row (2022 and 2023).

More than a Club

In summary, I believe that readers will find many similarities between FC Barcelona and an organization, as well as all the roles that are part of a global portfolio.

The PMOfficer's Final Reflection

As a devoted fan, I honestly believe that things are being done well with an annual strategy resembling a PMO, with short, medium, and long-term goals and the mission of restoring FC Barcelona as a global reference. . . . and I believe that although it will be very challenging, it will ultimately be achieved in the next 2-3 years.