Quique Setien has announced that, along with his three assistant coaches, he will take legal action against former employers Barcelona.
Thee 61-year-old released an explosive statement on Thursday night in which he alleged that he was only officially notified of his sacking on Wednesday, almost one month after he was relieved of his duties by the club.
Setien goes on to claim that there has been 'absolute silence' from the Barcelona board with regards to a severance package on the contract he signed in January. It was due to run to the summer of 2022 and it makes for a difficult situation with the club still to agree exit terms on the eve of their LaLiga season opener.
Failure to satisfy the situation with Setien could have damaging consequences for his successor, Ronald Koeman, with the Dutchman unable to take charge of an official game until a severance package has been finalised.
'Quique Setien, Eder Sarabia, Jon Pascua and Fran Soto - we communicate that, due to the latest information published, we want to make the following clarification,' the statement, published on Setien's social media, began.
'After a month of absolute silence by the FC Barcelona board of directors, and after various requests by us it is not until yesterday when we finally received the first official communications, by burofax.
'These communications reveal the clear intention of the directors not to comply with their employment contracts dated 01/14/2020.
'In my case, Quique Setién, it is public and well known that on August 17, both the Club and the President announced my dismissal with immediate effect.
'However, it was not until yesterday, September 16 (one month later), when they sent me, for the first time, the written communication of said dismissal (without any settlement).
'Regarding the rest of the coaching staff, they informed us, also yesterday, to our surprise, of a "future relocation" to the Club.
'For all that has been said, we have been forced to put the conflict resolution in the hands of our lawyers, taking into account that we must bring the corresponding legal actions. And this, in order to preserve our rights and what was agreed in its day with FC Barcelona.'
It was detailed in Spain that Setien, who was sacked following the humiliating 8-2 defeat in the Champions League to Bayern Munich, prompted a response from the club by sending a burofax to finalise his exit.
But 'silence' on behalf of the club until Wednesday has seen Setien now prepare to take the club to court over their handling of his departure.
More to follow.