Ronald Koeman’s future as Barcelona coach may already be decided but the outcome of the next two games, starting with Benfica in the Champions League on Wednesday, could buy him some extra time.

Three matches without a win and a press conference in which Koeman cancelled questions and demanded support felt more like the final week of a tenure about to be brought to an end.

A goalless draw away at Cadiz ended with Gerard Pique playing up front and while Pique called for calm after the game, the club captain also shied away from backing his coach.

“The club has been on the crest of a wave for many years and we are not used to this,” Pique said. “We all need to make an effort to give stability. We can complain or pull in the right direction. Let’s not look for friction because this doesn’t help anyone.”

After drawing with Granada, Koeman seemed both to dismiss Barcelona’s possession mantra and denigrate his players in one breath. “If you look at our squad, what are you supposed to do? Play tiki-taki?” Koeman said, in a reference to tiki-taka, the name attributed to the style played under Pep Guardiola.

But a 3-0 victory over Levante on Sunday has, at least briefly, lifted the mood ahead of a week that is likely to be taken as a litmus test for whether Koeman returns from the international break still in charge.

After facing Benfica, with the pressure on in Group E after the opening defeat by Bayern Munich, Barcelona play on Saturday away at Atletico Madrid, La Liga’s reigning champions, who are enduring a rocky start themselves.

A loss in either game, even at this early stage, would represent a damaging blow to Barca’s hopes in either competition and perhaps convince the board the need for change is now.

Yet a better combination of results could also earn Koeman some breathing space, even if it appears clear the Dutchman is not the long-term choice of club president Joan Laporta.

A period of stability would suit Laporta, given he needs time not only to identify a successor but also persuade them to join a club still working off more than a billion euros of debt and too broke to make significant signings for at least another year.

And while the two-week international break might seem the preferable moment to make a change, a new coach would then be plunged into three games against Valencia, Dynamo Kiev and Real Madrid, meaning a potentially turbulent start.

The better scenario both for Koeman and the board would be that the team recovers, in a similar way to last season when an uncertain first few weeks gave way to a gradual gathering of momentum.

There were certainly reasons for optimism against Levante, who rolled over for the kind of morale-boosting victory ideally suited for the start of a testing week.

The biggest cause for enthusiasm was the return of Ansu Fati, the inheritor of Lionel Messi’s number 10 shirt, who raised the roof by coming on after 10 months out through injury and then sent the fans ballistic by scoring in the 91st minute.

Ansu’s return could be transformative, not only because of what the 18-year-old brings to Barcelona’s attack but for what he represents, now more than ever: a La Masia graduate and one of the club’s last remaining claims to belonging with Europe’s elite.

Even before Ansu’s introduction, the crowd were admiring the performances of the 19-year-old Nico Gonzalez and the 17-year-old Gavi in midfield. Luuk de Jong and Memphis Depay scored the opening goals to suggest the summer transfer window was not entirely a backward step.

Barca also scored early, which allowed the players to operate more freely and avoid the unpalatable tactics witnessed in recent weeks when the team has been searching for a goal.

Levante, though, were generous opponents and Koeman cannot expect the same from Benfica, who are unbeaten, having won 10 of their 12 games so far this season, with the scrap to join Bayern in the last 16 – which also includes Kiev – far from clear-cut.

“We are Barcelona, we are going for La Liga and the Champions League and all the competitions we are in,” said Fati on Sunday. “All the teams want to win everything but we are Barca, we have to fight.”

Source: AFP

Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski has been awarded the Golden Shoe as top scorer in European football last season.

The Polish sensation scored 41 goals in 29 Bundesliga appearances for Bayern in the 2020-21 season. The 33-year-old Striker broke Gerd Mueller’s record of 40 goals in the German top flight set in 1971-72.

Lewandowski’s tally represents the highest in Europe since Cristiano Ronaldo received the prize in 2015 with Real Madrid, after bagging 48 goals. The Pole has already scored seven goals in only five games this season, as the Bavarians top the early Bundesliga Table.

Source: Presstv

Barcelona’s under-pressure coach Ronald Koeman delivered a bizarre press conference on Wednesday as he read a pre-prepared statement before leaving without answering questions.

Koeman’s position is fragile, after Barca followed up a 3-0 defeat by Bayern Munich in the Champions League last week with a 1-1 draw at home to Granada in La Liga, with the team’s tactics and style coming under scrutiny.

In his press conference, Koeman sat down and was introduced by the club’s press officer, who said the Dutchman wanted to read a short statement.

Reading from a piece of paper, Koeman said: “Hello everyone. The club with me as coach is in a situation of rebuilding.

“The financial situation of the club is connected to the sporting activities and vice-versa. This means we as a team have to rebuild the team without being able to make any big financial investments. This needs time.

“The young talent today could be the next big world stars in just a few years. To rebuild this team, young players will be given opportunities like Xavi and Iniesta had in their day. But we must ask for patience.

“Achieving a high ranking in La Liga is a great success. In the Champions League we can’t hope for miracles. The defeat by Bayern Munich last week has to be analysed with that perspective.

“The process we’re in now with the staff and the team deserves unconditional support, in words and actions. I know the press recognises this process.

“It’s not the first time in Barcelona’s history this has happened. We count on your support in these difficult times.

“As staff and players, we are very happy with the great support of the fans, like we had in the match against Granada. Visca Barca, thanks to everyone.”

Several names, including Xavi Hernandez, Roberto Martinez and Antonio Conte, have been mentioned as possible successors to 58-year-old Koeman, whose relationship with club president Joan Laporta has been strained in recent weeks.

After the defeat at home to Bayern, Laporta posted a video addressed to Barcelona supporters in which he said: “I am as disappointed and upset as all of you are… Do not doubt we will resolve this situation.”

Koeman was asked about the club’s loss of identity after the draw against Granada on Monday.

His team had delivered 54 crosses and ended the game with central defenders Gerard Pique and Ronald Araujo playing up front.

“If you see the list of players, what do you do? Play tiki-taki? Tiki-taki when there are no spaces?” said Koeman.

“We did what we had to do. We tried to win another way. We don’t have players one-on-one or with speed. We’re talking… I’m not going to say more because it seems I have to argue about everything.”

Barcelona head to Cadiz on Thursday in La Liga, having won two and drawn two of their opening four league games.

Source: AFP

Ronald Koeman’s position as Barcelona coach became even more fragile on Monday as Ronald Araujo’s late header was only enough to rescue a 1-1 draw at home to struggling Granada.

Granada were ahead inside two minutes and while Araujo’s equaliser gave Barca a dramatic finish at Camp Nou, the whistles from the home fans at the final whistle indicated a point was far from enough.

Barca have now won only two of their opening five games of the season and Koeman’s future looks increasingly uncertain, particularly on the back of last week’s 3-0 drubbing at home to Bayern Munich.

Koeman reacted to that result by picking a young team that included Eric Garcia, Sergino Dest, Alex Balde and Yusuf Demir, all aged 20 or younger.

But another stodgy performance did little to inspire confidence, with Barca’s best efforts at finding an equaliser in the second half reduced to a series of speculative crosses slung into the penalty area.

Koeman insisted on Sunday he was “calm” and not fearing for his job but an already-strained relationship with club president Joan Laporta will be pushed to breaking point if results do not improve.

There were 85 seconds on the clock when Domingos Duarte headed Granada in front.

Sergio Escudero was quickest to his cleared corner and he beat Sergio Busquets twice, once to the ball and then again to the line where he fed Duarte, who nipped in front of Frenkie de Jong at the back post.

Barca tried to exert some control but they never really stretched Granada, who could have doubled their lead when Jorge Molina volleyed over a cross from the lively Darwin Machis.

Sergi Roberto cushioned a shot against the crossbar to begin a late surge of pressure at the end of the first half, which also saw Araujo go close with two headers in quick succession.

Luuk de Jong came on for Sergi Roberto at half-time, indicating a more direct approach was coming but Granada were not uncomfortable. Depay hooked over from a de Jong ball in before Oscar Mingueza’s delivery grazed the top of the crossbar.

As Barcelona grew more desperate, they became more predictable too, as more and more crosses were slung into the box in the hope someone might capitalise. De Jong should have scored with 11 minutes left but headed over from five yards.

Araujo was booked after a skirmish with Granada’s defenders and then, with the adrenaline still pumping, he grabbed an equaliser for Barca, keeping the ball alive in the box and then dashing forward to meet Gavi’s chipped ball in.

Barca chased a second but it was too little too late. Granada took a deserved point.

Source: AFP