It has

Ronald Koeman

the need to vindicate his work. To value all those things that he thinks he has improved since he arrived last summer at a club stuck in one of the worst crises in its history. Koeman does not hide that it bothers him not to know what will become of him. As the lunch with President Laporta passed last Thursday at the Via Veneto restaurant, where the parties tried to analyze the causes of the collapse of the league and its possible solutions, you may suspect that he will fulfill the remaining contract year. But the president did not confirm anything about it yet. You will wait for the course to conclude. Hence the uncertainty. "We have spoken, discussed and stayed for the end of the season. The president has the last word."

The Dutch coach said he felt "very calm" on the eve of this Sunday's match against Celta. Although he also exhibited his regret at the criticism received after Barcelona was unable to save key games such as the defeat against Granada or the draws against Atlético and Levante: "I have felt mistreated in recent weeks. If you analyze the season you have to See also that we won the Copa del Rey, that we had 12 points less than the leader in December, that we fought for the League until the end, that the young people had opportunities ... That is what you have to analyze. But if you listen to the means it seems that we did a very bad job. And I do not agree ".

And Koeman continued showing that same sheet of merits that he has been resorting to for some time in his public appearances: "You have to know the moment I entered the club, how the team was, what we have done this season even knowing the difficulties we have had Of course we are disappointed for a couple of moments when we were able to be leaders and we did not make it. "

"That's not fair"

Then, the Barcelona coach referred to Laporta's disturbing public silence: "For any coach the important thing is to be able to work where you have absolute confidence from the club. It is the most important thing for a coach. I can and want to continue ... Yes it is like that ". And when a journalist tried to get answers to that question, Koeman no longer knew what to say: "We will talk when the season is over. Especially the club. I want to continue. I see a lot of room to improve things. It is a path that does not end this season. . There are many, many things that we have improved. There is impressive data that supports the team. To criticize, to say that there was a moment when everything was perfect and two weeks later that everything is horrible, it is not fair. "

"We have not thrown the league away," claimed the Barcelona coach.

"I insist, we were 12 points behind the leader and we got a comeback that cost us a lot of effort. Atlético and Real Madrid also threw points. On Granada day we did lose a great opportunity. But we are talking about a match."

Koeman did not want to settle his speech without praising the support he says he has from the dressing room: "I feel very supported by the dressing room. And that is always complicated. I am a coach who always tries to make things clear. And if there is a problem on the part of some player we talk about it ".

And he vindicated his value as a club man: "I always think of the entity. An example of this is that I let Mingueza play with the subsidiary [to achieve promotion] despite our situation."

Koeman did not leave the desk without imagining a better future: "The team has a future. If we can sign what we think is necessary to take the next step, I think the fans can be excited about the team next year."

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