Ten days before Barcelona became his job, Ralek17 told Soccerverse’s Discord that he was at a Barcelona stadium.

“Hello from the stadium,” he wrote on January 26, 2025. Asked whether it was live, the account verified to Ralek17 replied: “Yeah, Barcelona stadium.”

On February 5, he became Barcelona’s manager.

You could not draw a straighter line from supporter to digital dugout. The journey since has twisted through 166 Barcelona matches, 95 wins and 28th place on Soccerverse’s veteran-manager ladder. Of his 172 recorded career games, all but six belong to Barça.

When asked in March 2025 whether he was obsessed with winning, his answer carried the weight of the badge.

I am the manager of Barcelona, the answer is clear

The first season brought fourth place and the EUR Continental Knockout. Season 2 delivered the Spanish title and World Club Cup. Barcelona then collected four more league points in Season 3 but fell to third. Better was no longer enough.

This season put them back on top. A fortnight ago, we called it a ruthless reboot. Saturday gave that reboot its first emergency.

Seven minutes that changed the plan

Barcelona arrived at Donostia-San Sebastián unbeaten in 13 matches across all competitions: ten wins, three draws, 30 goals scored and only three conceded.

They twice equalised. They held 56% possession and produced 13 shots to Donostia’s four. All three Barça substitutions had already been made in the 60th minute when Harry Kane was injured in the 82nd.

Seven minutes later, Donostia scored the winner.

Barcelona lost 3-2. They conceded as many goals in one evening as they had across the previous 13 matches. Their league lead survived, but it shrank to one point.

Kane is scheduled to recover on October 11. Barcelona have 12 fixtures before then, beginning at Benfica on Monday. He has scored seven of their 19 league goals and is currently the only non-loaned player in the squad whose primary position is centre-forward.

That last detail turns an injury into a transfer story.

The insurance is in France

Ralek17 does not recruit like a stranger. Mads Bidstrup played every minute of the manager’s six-match Salzburg apprenticeship. Barcelona bought him for 80M SVC exactly 531 days after Ralek left Austria. Memory became scouting.

The current squad also lists Ralek17 as agent for Kane and Barcelona’s two purchased specialist centre-forwards on loan:

• Joaquín Panichelli — 23, rated 86 and playing for Lyon
• Robinio Vaz — 19, rated 89 and playing for Marseille

Their combined acquisition fees were 194.47M SVC. The development plan is producing something: each has four league goals this season, while Vaz also has three assists.

Ralek17 explained the principle in the transfer channel in June.

I'm looking for teams where the players are starters, and better teams than the ones they're currently at (in terms of payouts). DM ME

Those are humane priorities for an agent: minutes, progress, better returns. They also carry a competitive price for the manager. Barcelona’s two natural alternatives are succeeding elsewhere precisely when the 398.56M SVC first choice is unavailable.

This is no underdog’s sob story. Barcelona’s top 21 players average a 91 rating. They lead Spain and remain unbeaten through five continental league matches. Ralek17 has resources most managers would envy.

But that is what makes this club special. Its enormous machinery remains intensely personal: a supporter who became the manager, a manager who recruits former players, and an agent willing to let young forwards grow away from his own bench.

He needed ten days to cross from the stadium to the dugout. Now he has twelve matches to find a second route to goal.