Ronald Koeman to retake helm of Dutch team after World Cup
Football | Apr 06, 2022, 05:10 PM ISTRonald Koeman will retake the helm of the Dutch national team after the World Cup following a disappointing stint at Barcelona.
Ronald Koeman will retake the helm of the Dutch national team after the World Cup following a disappointing stint at Barcelona.
Barcelona reserve-team coach Sergi Barjuan will temporarily lead the squad until they find a permanent replacement for Koeman.
Two embarrassing losses to start the Champions League have left the Dutch coach under extreme pressure before a trip to the capital to face the Spanish league’s titleholder.
Barcelona has made a sluggish start to the campaign following Lionel Messi's departure with only two wins from its opening four league games and a 3-0 home loss to Bayern Munich in its Champions League opener.
There was none of Barcelona’s famous “tiki taka” — passing the ball around patiently until finding the right space near the opponents' goal against Granada in the Spanish league.
The decision was announced after a meeting of the club's board of directors.
The 34-year-old striker was controversially allowed to leave Barca for domestic rivals Atletico after six successful seasons at Camp Nou.
Barca beat Eibar 1-0 in their final La Liga game of the campaign on Saturday to finish third, five points behind Real Madrid and seven adrift of champions Atletico Madrid.
Barcelona lifted the Copa del Rey with a 4-0 win over Athletic Bilbao in Saturday's final, marking the Dutchman's first title since taking over at Camp Nou in August.
The signs were all there at Parc des Princes for paranoid Barcelona fans who fear Lionel Messi will follow the path of Neymar and bolt for Paris Saint-Germain once the season ends.
Lionel Messi was at his lethal best on Sunday night when the Barcelona striker scored a mesmerising free-kick goal in 2-1 victory over Athletic Club.
Lack of fans at Barcelona's iconic stadium Camp Nou is the worst thing that can happen in an El Clasico says Barca manager.
Ansu Fati’s three goals in two wins have Barcelona off to an ideal start to La Liga as Dutch manager has been spot on with his tactics.
Koeman's comments came after Messi told the daily Sport newspaper that he wanted to put his dispute with the club behind him and said “we must unite” to help Barcelona succeed again.
Koeman said Saturday that he cared about Messi’s proven efforts on the field — and not his criticisms of the board for stopping him from leaving Barcelona while pushing out teammate and friend Luis Suárez.
As a player, Koeman helped Barcelona clinch its first European title by scoring an extra-time winner in a final nearly two decades ago, and now the former defender is set to return to try to lift the club from its current crisis.
Bartomeu said in an interview with Barça TV that negotiations with the Dutchman are advanced but that a deal had yet to be signed.
Ronald Koeman was hospitalized after feeling chest pain after a bike ride.
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