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Tag: koeman

  • Why Wijnaldum chose PSG over Barca – Koeman

    Why Wijnaldum chose PSG over Barca – Koeman

    Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman admits he spoke to Georginio Wijnaldum about moving to the Nou Camp.

    The off contract Liverpool midfielder has chosen PSG over Barca.

    Koeman, who was speaking at an unveiling of a statue of his father in Gronigen.

    And he went on to comment about why Wijnladum ending up choosing to sign for Paris Saint-Germain instead of Barcelona.

    “I spoke with Gini [Wijnaldum] about signing him and in the end he made a decision,” Koeman confirmed. “It had to do with Barcelona’s situation.”

  • If Barca don’t want me, I’ll retire from playing – Pique

    If Barca don’t want me, I’ll retire from playing – Pique

    FC Barcelona’s veteran central defender Gerard Pique said on Friday that he would hang his boots and retire from football if the club wanted him to leave.

    The 34-year-old, who is also the owner of third-tier side FC Andorra, ruled out playing for the club he owns.

    “The day I stop playing for Barca, I will leave football. I will never play for another team.

    “If [FC Barcelona coach] Ronald Koeman told me tomorrow that I had to go, I will retire from the game,” he insisted.

    Pique was asked about the criticism that players receive in the modern game, and replied that “criticism is part of football.”

    “When you run out onto the pitch, you know what you could be letting yourself in for. Football attracts more sentimental responses than anything.

    “It is like politics and you have to accept criticism,” commented the defender.

    Pique’s off-field activities, such as the purchase of FC Andorra and of the Davis Cup tennis tournament through his company Kosmos Holding, have led to speculations.

    It has been said that he may one day run to be FC Barcelona president, something the defender did not deny.

    “It’s something I have always said I am interested in. It’s the club I’ve supported all my life, but there is still a long way to go and I want to continue as a player.

    “We’ll see what my plans are when I retire,” he said.

  • What Koeman told Barca fans after board support

    What Koeman told Barca fans after board support

    Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman has told fans he’s delighted to have been confirmed as manager for next season at Camp Nou.

    With Koeman now confirmed as being in charge for the final year of his contract at least, Barcelona will move forward with the signing of Memphis Depay on a free transfer, with the former Manchester United winger having been an express request of the coach.

    “I am relieved to say that my players and my staff can now fully focus on the new season, the last few weeks have been intense, but I’m glad the president has given me his support.” Koeman posted on Instagram.

    “Calm has now been restored and everyone’s goal at the club remains the same, to build a winning Barcelona and to achieve success.”

    Barca have already added Manchester City pair Sergio Aguero and Eric Garcia, along with Real Betis fullback Emerson Royal, to Koeman’s squad.

  • Koeman remains Barca coach after Laporta meeting

    Koeman remains Barca coach after Laporta meeting

    Ronald Koeman remains Barcelona coach after meeting with president Joan Laporta on Tuesday.

    Both parties have called for a new meeting, that could take place in the near future. It is clear that a proposal was made, and those involved want some time to analyse before making a decision, says Marca.

    Just before 8pm, Koeman turned up a Barcelona’s Camp Nou offices accompanied by his representative Rob Jansen.

    The Barcelona boss held talks with president Laporta and director of football Mateu Alemany, as they looked to address the Dutchman’s future at the club,

    The meeting lasted less than 30 minutes, and it is not yet known what the outcome was, though news of whether or not Koeman will stay on as Barcelona coach is expected soon.

    Ten minutes after Koeman and his agent left the Camp Nou offices, Laporta, Alemany and Ramon Yuste also departed.

    Koeman has always made clear that he has a contract with Barcelona, despite the fact that Laporta has claimed that this is the end of a cycle for the club.

  • Suarez says Koeman has “no personality”, blasts ex-Barca president

    Suarez says Koeman has “no personality”, blasts ex-Barca president

    Luis Suarez has slammed Ronald Koeman for lacking personality and also hit out at former FC Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu after winning La Liga with Atletico Madrid.

    The 34-year-old striker was controversially allowed to leave Barca for domestic rivals Atletico Madrid after six successful seasons at Camp Nou.

    Suarez responded by firing in 21 goals in 32 league matches for Atletico Madrid, including two in their final two matches in priceless wins against Osasuna and Real Valladolid.

    The Uruguay forward has regularly discussed how hurt he was by his Barca departure.

    He looked at it from a fresh angle after showing his emotion when Atletico Madrid got over the line to claim league glory.

    “I will always be grateful to FC Barcelona and I’m never going to go against FC Barcelona, they have given me everything and allowed me to get to the elite,” Suarez said.

    “But obviously the president [Bartomeu] said everything in the press instead of calling me.

    “Then the moment they wanted Leo [Messi] to stay they called me to use me to convince him, to talk to [Antoine] Griezmann. So, why didn’t they call me when they wanted me to leave?

    “Koeman told me I wasn’t in his plans, then he said, `If we don’t figure this out by tomorrow, you’re back in my plans and I’m counting on you against Villarreal’.

    “I saw then that the man had no personality. He was not strong enough to tell me I was not needed.

    “No one [from Barca’s management has] congratulated me, but I nearly sent them a photo!”

    Suarez added he would find it “impossible” to leave Atletico Madrid ahead of next season.

    The club have confirmed he would stay for the second year of his contract should he wish to do so.

    Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone, meanwhile, has discussed the circumstances around signing Suarez, insisting he was not going to let the opportunity slide.

    “I was very happy from the first day I spoke with him. I had already spoken with him when he was at Liverpool, in an effort for him to sign with us but he chose FC Barcelona,” Simeone said.

  • La Liga: Barca coach Ronald Koeman may yet avoid sack

    La Liga: Barca coach Ronald Koeman may yet avoid sack

    Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman may yet avoid the sack when meeting with president Joan Laporta this week.

    Sport says Koeman remains in charge for now and has one year to run on his contract but his future is uncertain. The coming days will be intense and a final decision must be made before the first week of June. Anything could happen. The only thing that’s certain right now is the uncertainty.

    Koeman said goodbye to the players for the summer on Sunday but the message was “see you again” because no one has communicated to him otherwise.

    He will meet with Laporta in the coming days and conclusions will be withdrawn. Koeman will detail how he’s seen the end of the season and the changes he feels are necessary to take Barça to the next level.

    Laporta will listen but it’s another thing if he buys Koeman’s explanations. In fact, if it wasn’t for the club’s financial position, many believe the Dutchman would already be gone.

  • Don’t blame Koeman, blame Griezmann – Barca legend

    Don’t blame Koeman, blame Griezmann – Barca legend

    Barcelona legend Hristo Stoichkov has been unimpressed by Antoine Griezmann this season.

    Stoichkov insists former Barca teammate Ronald Koeman has been let down by the France attacker.

    “Now everyone says ‘Koeman, it’s Koeman’, but it’s not all his fault,” Stoichkov says.

    “It is the eleven (players) who play, and in Barcelona it is not about how to play against such teams (middle teams).

    “He (Griezmann) has not scored against Liverpool, Juventus, PSG, Real Madrid or Atletico, and he cost a lot of money…”

    Griezmann has scored twelve goals in 35 appearances for La Liga this season.

    Stoichkov played 255 games for Barcelona and scored 117 goals during his time at the club.

  • EPL: Don’t ask me about summer signings – Koeman

    EPL: Don’t ask me about summer signings – Koeman

    Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman has rejected questions about summer arrivals.

    For tomorrow’s clash with Getafe, Koeman was asked about talk of a deal for Lyon striker Memphis Depay.

    But he insisted: “I’m not talking about the signings or the players we want to sign, or the players who won’t continue next year.

    “These are the last weeks, this is not the time to talk about players who are not here.”

  • You’re wrong about Van Dijk, Koeman tells Klopp

    You’re wrong about Van Dijk, Koeman tells Klopp

    The brother of former Holland coach Ronald Koeman believes Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk will be fit for the Euros.

    Reds boss Jurgen Klopp has insisted Van Dijk’s rehab from knee surgery will prevent him from making Holland’s squad.

    But Koeman told De Telegraaf: “Virgil has a certain value for the team but also a financial value for the club.

    “So the stakes are enormous and that explains why Jurgen Klopp is very defensive in his statements.”

    Koeman was in a similar situation to Van Dijk ahead of the 1990 World Cup.

    He recovered from a long-term knee injury shortly before the tournament and was able to represent his country in Italy.

    “As a player, you give everything to get fit,” he added.

    “You actually want to play the tournament at all costs, sometimes against your better judgement.

    “I can totally imagine what he is doing.

    “Who knows, maybe he can play a match for Liverpool before the European Championship, as that would help.”

  • ‘Barca will have a problem if I don’t have a future’

    ‘Barca will have a problem if I don’t have a future’

    Ronald Koeman has addressed the ongoing speculation over his position at Camp Nou, insisting Barcelona “are going to have problems” if he doesn’t have a future at the club.

    Koeman was handed a two-year contract by Barca when he replaced Quique Setien in the hot seat back in August, but now finds himself under increasing pressure amid a turbulent 2020-21 campaign.

    It has been suggested that the Dutchman could lose his job when the club’s next president is elected later this month, and he has now admitted to being uncertain with regards to whether or not he will be given the chance to remain in charge through to 2022.

    “I have not spoken with anyone. We have to wait for who comes in as president and his plan,” Koeman told a press conference on Tuesday.

    “If I do not see an important future for me we are going to have problems, because I have one more year on my contract.”

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