Ronald Koeman
Report: Barcelona open to selling Antoine Griezmann for the right price
Italian Sky Sports journalist Matteo Moretto has proclaimed that Barcelona are willing to sell French superstar Antoine Griezmann in the summer if they were to receive an adequate offer, in order to try and ease the pressure on their accounts. After a far from optimal start to his stint in Garnet and Blue, Griezmann has largely managed to turn his fortunes around. He has established himself as a very useful asset for Barcelona, and proved to be an instrumental part of the Catalans’ Copa del Rey triumph. However, despite his turn of form, there has been constant speculation regarding Antoine Griezmann’s departure from Barcelona. Considering the massive cost of his transfer from Atletico Madrid two seasons ago and his high wages, the club might be open to a sale in the summer. The upcoming t...
Barcelona boss admits that comeback against PSG seems unlikely
After yet another humbling defeat in the Champions League for Barcelona, coach Ronald Koeman does not seem too optimistic about his side’s progression into the next round of the competition. The Dutchman was disappointed in the team’s performance, which seemed to lack a cutting edge all across the pitch. There are plenty of questions about Koeman’s team selection however, and he certainly shares the blame for this defeat. Even so, the Blaugrana were extremely lethargic and did not show anywhere near their best football. In the post-match press conference, the manager summed up their miserable outing and evaluated their chances of progression to the next round. On the result and performance: “The result reflects the game. In the second half, they have been superior. They have been very effe...
Inter preparing offer for Junior Firpo
The name Junior Firpo continues to be on the Inter agenda. According to the newspaper ‘Sport’, the Italians will try again for the Barca player in January: they are studying a six month or year and a half loan with option to buy. Inter Milan haven’t forgotten about Junior Firpo, one of their big alternatives for down the left. The Italian outfit are still interested in the Barcelona player and are reportedly studying a six month or year and a half loan with option to buy. All of this while the 24-year-old LB continues to not be in Ronald Koeman’s plans, as the 192 minutes that he has played this season demonstrate, which increase the rumours about his possible exit. Junior is under contract at Barca until June 2024 and his market value is around 12.3 million euros. According to the newspap...
Quique Setien: Barcelona yet to inform me of sack
Former Barcelona coach Quique Setien claims the Catalans have not compensated him for his early dismissal, or even called to inform of his contract termination three months on. Setien replaced Ernesto Valverde in January signing on a contract until 2022 as the club hoped to reconnect with their philosophy of exciting, possession-based football. However, Setien’s time at Barça was marred with problems, from an apparently strained relationship with talisman Lionel Messi that reportedly spread to other members of the squad, to underwhelming results and performances on the pitch. The culmination of numerous issues at the club was the 8-2 humiliation by Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-final. The embarrassing result contributed to Messi’s desire to leave and effectively spelled the...
Barcelona rethink Ousmane Dembele sale after Ansu Fati injury
Barcelona are ready to withdraw Ousmane Dembele from the transfer market. Barcelona are now prepared to give their out-of-favour forward a starring role in the absence of Ansu Fati. The Frenchman has been overlooked in recent months, with Barcelona willing to let him leave, but with 17-year-old star-in-the-making Fati now facing four months on the sidelines with a meniscus injury, the club are set to turn to Dembele. There are concerns at Barcelona that, despite his attacking threat and speed, he lacks the defensive abilities to be able to succeed in their team. But Sport reports that Barcelona are now preparing to integrate Dembele back into the core of the team, bringing him in from the cold to be a regular starter under Ronald Koeman in the coming months. Get more stories like this on T...
Barcelona: Ansu Fati to undergo surgery on knee injury
Ansu Fati is to undergo surgery on the torn meniscus he suffered in Barcelona’s 5-2 win over Real Betis. The 18-year-old forward was substituted at half-time in Saturday’s contest at Camp Nou and Barca later confirmed that he had sustained damage to his left knee. “Fati had some discomfort in the first half and we replaced him at half-time so as not to take risks,” coach Ronald Koeman told reporters after the game. Fati is now set to have an operation on Monday, after which Barca said they will release further details about the possible length of his absence. A club statement read: “The first team player Ansu Fati will undergo surgery [on] Monday for the injury to the meniscus in his left knee by Dr. Ramon Cugat under the supervision of the club’s medical services. “Once this intervention ...
Barcelona boss explains decision to rest Lionel Messi for Real Betis win
Barcelona boss Ronald Koeman has confirmed he opted to leave Lionel Messi on the bench for their 5-2 La Liga win over Real Betis as a precaution. Messi started as a substitute at the Camp Nou after reports of a minor injury picked up in the 2-1 midweek Champions League win over Dynamo Kyiv. Koeman brought the Argentinian international on as a second half substitute against Manuel Pellegrini’s side with the 33-year old playing a vital role in their first win for a month. Messi’s dummy created a perfect chance for Antoine Griezmann to make it 2-1 to the hosts before he netted twice himself in the final half hour. “Since yesterday we talked and he had some discomfort from the game against Dynamo Kyiv,” Koeman told a post game interview with Marca. “We decided it was best to leave him on the b...
Barcelona boss angry with team and individual performances
Barcelona boss Ronald Koeman is not happy with multiple aspects of the performance of his team and individuals. The Dutchman once again was critical of elements of his side’s play despite edging out a 2-1 victory over Dynamo Kiev in the Champions League on Wednesday evening. Koeman told reporters after the encounter, in quotes carried by Marca: “I’m concerned about our performance in attack. “The problem against Dinamo Kiev was our performance without the ball. The problem exists, sometimes you cannot press and when you do, you leave spaces. “We have to talk about this and analyse it as a team, because the whole team has to improve. The game without possession has to improve.” Whilst Koeman did not speak directly about any of his players after the match, it is increasingly evident that he ...
Barcelona boss offers Antoine Griezmann surprise praise after win vs Juventus
Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman was full of praise for Antoine Greizmann after victory at Juventus. Griezmann hit the post and had another chance of scoring during the 2-0 Champions League win. After using the France attacker sparingly so far this season, Koeman offered Griezmann encouraging words, stating: “We had a very good chance to score more goals. “Antoine (Griezmann) was unlucky tonight. His first strike early in the match, he could not do better and the same for the second. “He has to keep working, but he’s getting opportunities, which is positive.” Get more stories like this on Twitter You Deserve to Make Money Even When you are looking for Dates Online. So we reimagined what a dating should be. It begins with giving you back power. Get to meet Beautiful people, chat and make money...
Ronald Koeman slams VAR after El Clasico defeat to Real Madrid
Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman was left frustrated at full time as his side slipped to a 3-1 El Clasico defeat at home to Real Madrid. Ansu Fati cancelled out Federico Valderde’s early goal at the Camp Nou but referee Juan Martinez Munuero’s decision to award a second half penalty turned the game on its head. The experienced official agreed with VAR and awarded a penalty in favour of Sergio Ramos after the Spanish international was pulled down by Clement Lenglet. However the home side were angered by the decision, as Ramos converted to make it 2-1, before substitute Luka Modric added a third goal late on. “We played well and created chances in the game. We did not deserve to lose and some of the referee’s decisions, I did not understand,” he told a post match interview with Marca. “The de...
‘It’s true’, Ronald Koeman confirms Barcelona are interested in signing £27m-rated centre-back
Barcelona boss Ronald Koeman has acknowledged that the club are looking to land the services of Eric Garcia from Manchester City before Monday’s transfer deadline. Garcia made his debut for the Cityzens last term and he has since made only 11 starts for the club across all competitions. He has declined the opportunity to sign a new deal beyond June 2021 and this has increased the speculation regarding his future. Earlier on Friday, Pep Guardiola admitted that Garcia wants to return to the Blaugrana, where he spent nine years in the youth ranks. Koeman has now confirmed that the Blaugrana are indeed interested in Garcia, but he is unsure whether the club can get a deal over the line. “It’s true we want Eric Garcia here. I’ve seen Pep’s comments and that’s how it is,” He told in a press conf...
Lyon set deadline for Memphis Depay’s departure
Olympique Lyonnais have set Barcelona an ultimatum on signing their forward Memphis Depay this transfer window, as per Diario AS. The report cites how Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas has told French media outlet Telefoot: “I think I will tell the players that all those who did not leave on Friday will remain at Lyon. As of Friday there will be no more departures.” It is reported how he is referencing both Memphis and midfielder Houssem Aouar – who has been linked with a switch to Arsenal. The Blaugrana are keen on a move for Memphis but it remains unlikely that they will be able to finance a deal, despite clearing Arturo Vidal, Ivan Rakitic and Luis Suarez from their wage bill. Memphis, 26, netted 11 goals across his last 18 matches for the Dutch national side and has also developed into ...
