Barcelona and sporting director Eric Abidal agreed to sever ties Tuesday as the Catalonian club continues to restructure following last week’s humiliating 8-2 Champions League quarterfinal loss to Bayern Munich.

Abidal’s departure follows Monday’s decision to sack head coach Quique Setien.

“The club would publicly like to thank Eric Abidal for his professionalism, commitment, dedication, and the close and positive nature of his relationship with all aspects of the Blaugrana family,” Barcelona’s statement read.

The Frenchman assumed duties as sporting director in June 2018 and helped engineer the arrivals of Malcom, Arturo Vidal, Kevin-Prince Boateng, Antoine Griezmann, and Martin Braithwaite during his two seasons in the post. The likes of Marc Cucurella, Munir El Haddadi, and Lucas Digne have also flourished since they left the club.

But Abidal, who won four La Liga titles and twice collected Champions League honors during a six-year playing stint with Barca, became an unpopular figure at the Camp Nou following some questionable transfer business and his public criticism of the squad in February.

Abidal was reportedly close to leaving his position when he appeared to blame players’ poor communication and work ethic for Ernesto Valverde’s dismissal as head coach in mid-January.

His words drew an angry response from Lionel Messi on social media; the attacker challenged his former teammate to “name names” and stated directors “need to take their responsibilities, too.” The comments also prompted a meeting between club president Josep Maria Bartomeu, Abidal, and Messi.

It was decided after long talks between the trio that Abidal would remain in his job, but some players were still upset by the sporting director’s words.

“This club gets enough shit thrown at it from the outside, so we shouldn’t be throwing shit at ourselves,” Jordi Alba said three days after Abidal’s infamous interview with Spanish newspaper Sport.

Barcelona said Monday that Setien’s exit was part of “a wider restructuring of the first team” which will be overseen by current technical director Ramon Planes and the club’s incoming head coach. Former Southampton and Everton handler Ronald Koeman is widely expected to succeed Setien.

Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Gerald McCoy ruptured his right quadriceps tendon during the first padded practice of training camp Monday and will undergo season-ending surgery, according to team executive vice president Stephen Jones.

McCoy was hurt during individual drills and was unable to put weight on his leg after he was examined by the team’s medical staff. Before ducking into the locker room, McCoy attempted to take some steps unassisted but could not. An MRI revealed the tear.

“I will remain the mentor I am to the young guys and do my part to make sure that this team goes where it needs to,” McCoy said in a text to ESPN’s Ed Werder. “As far as my mindset people deal with real life problems everybody day especially now with the state of our country.

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“There is a lot of pain and heartache taking place right now that all our attention needs to go towards whether it is the pandemic or our fight for social justice. In retrospect what I’m dealing with is minimal compared to that. Therefore this is light work for me. Anybody who knows me knows I love a challenge. CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!! I will be back better. LETS GET IT!!”

The Cowboys signed McCoy to a three-year, $18 million deal in free agency as part of a rebuild of their defensive line that also included the additions of Aldon Smith, Dontari Poe and Everson Griffen, who has yet to practice but has cleared COVID-19 testing protocol.

“It’s obviously tough,” Jones said. “It’s part of the game. You see injuries around the league every day, and unfortunately that’s why you have to have a deep roster. Obviously you sign a guy like Everson Griffen, you never know when things like this are going to happen.”

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Ed Werder reports that Cowboys DT Gerald McCoy will undergo season-ending surgery after he ruptured his right quadriceps tendon during the Cowboys’ first padded practice of training camp.

Speaking before Jones announced the injury, defensive lineman Tyrone Crawford said he spoke with McCoy after practice.

“Obviously it’s never fun to see a fellow D-lineman go down,” Crawford said. “Having a guy like that that you just get to know, just get to make part of the family, it’s always sad to see, but obviously I have a lot of faith in our training staff and also a lot of experience, as you guys know, and I know they’ll get him back and get him back right and get him back on that field better than ever.”

Crawford suffered a torn Achilles early in the 2013 training camp in individual drills and could relate to McCoy’s injury.

“It’s never fun to have it happen like that because you weren’t even competing at that time,” Crawford said. “It’s a different feeling than if it was to happen during a physical football play against your teammates.”

McCoy, 32, spent his first nine seasons in Tampa Bay before joining Carolina last season. He has missed more than three games in a season just once in his career.

Rookie Neville Gallimore and last year’s second-round pick, Trysten Hill, replaced McCoy at times during practice.

“We know [McCoy] was fired up to be here, but it’s also disappointing for us,” Jones said. “He was one of our major acquisitions in the offseason in free agency, but having said that, this will give Trysten Hill and Neville Gallimore an opportunity to really step up now.”

The one former NFL quarterback who understands the injury Alex Smith has overcome admits he’s living vicariously through him.

“Heck yeah!” former Washington quarterback Joe Theismann told ESPN in a telephone interview. “Go, Alex, go.”

Washington activated Smith off the physically unable to perform list Sunday morning, a remarkable development since he broke the tibia and fibula in his right leg in a November 2018 game against Houston.

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  In his first season with Washington in 2018, Smith had struggled to adapt to Jay Gruden’s offense but had thrown 10 touchdowns to five interceptions before the injury ended his season. Washington was 6-3 and in first place in the NFC East. They’re 4-19 since his injury.

  After the season, numerous teammates said they missed his presence and leadership in the huddle. He also had a large cap hit, making it harder to cut him. Even now Smith would count $32 million vs. the cap if released, though Washington has a $12 million insurance policy that would reduce his number if he was done playing. There was no salary cap in the mid-1980s; Theismann was scheduled to make $1.2 million.

  But Theismann said it went beyond a financial consideration. He pointed to Smith’s work throughout the process. Because of their shared injury history — and because Smith played for Washington — the two spoke often during this process. They’ve discussed their injuries; they’ve talked about the on-field movements he must show to convince others he can be effective.

  “I was pulling for him from day one,” Theismann said. “In the beginning everyone said he’ll never play again. I never bought that. Knowing Alex as I’ve come to know him and the determination he had. … When you watch the show Project 11, the way the show ends he was so much further ahead than where that show ended. Now he has a chance to go out and do certain things.”

  Whether Smith actually contends for the starting job remains to be seen. He was cleared for football activity Sunday, but the organization still isn’t sure about the level at which he’s capable of playing. They are going to ease him back into football action, per multiple sources. Coach Ron Rivera and quarterbacks coach Ken Zampese have said the No. 1 thing they want to see is Smith’s ability to protect himself.

  “Without any preseason games and without any real live contact, that still remains an open-ended question,” Theismann said. “That, to me, is the only thing Coach Rivera needs to evaluate is: Will he be able to do that?”

  Theismann said he can also relate to Smith’s desire to play again after such a gruesome injury.

  “You know how hard Alex has worked,” Theismann said. “Before his injury the man carried rocks under water as part of his training. You know how important it is to him and it shows how important football is to him. A lot of people would have said, ‘Why put yourself through this?’ Then again, I don’t think a lot of people understand the athlete. It’s not about the money, it’s about the love of the game and the love of competition. That’s what’s driven Alex.”

  And by pushing himself to reach this point, Theismann said Smith has set up the rest of his life.

  “What he’s been able to do is create a quality of life for himself at some point when this is over,” Theismann said. “He pushed himself so hard, he can do things he wants with [his wife] Elizabeth and with his kids because he pushed himself so hard. That is to me the ultimate thing that happened.”