TechnoSports Media Group

Tag: Ronald Koeman

  • Riqui Puig called ‘a leak’ in front of locker room by Ronald Koeman

    Riqui Puig called ‘a leak’ in front of locker room by Ronald Koeman

    Riqui Puig is one of the players that has been left in a more difficult position at Barcelona since the arrival of Ronald Koeman as a manager than before him. The youngster was asked to go out on loan by his manager, but Puig stayed in Catalonia, intent on fighting for his place in the club.

    While the decision was no doubt a brave one from the La Masia graduate, it has seen him being relegated to the bench almost completely. The 21-year-old has only been on the pitch for 77 minutes across all competitions and that number is not doing any benefits to his progress as a young and developing midfielder.

    What is even worse for his future in Barcelona is the fact that he has been called ‘a leak’ by Ronald Koeman in front of the entire Barcelona locker room. The allegation made by the manager deals with the fact that the media was quite fast in picking up on the information.

    According to Koeman, Puig broke the news to the press himself. However, whether or not that is actually the case is something that is yet to be confirmed. The Barcelona locker room had mixed reactions to the incident.

    While some of the players were happy that Koeman is trying to get rid of players with ‘harmful attitudes’ at the club, the others were not as supportive of the coach’s intentions.

    GRAF7975. BARCELONA, 31/08/2020.- El nuevo entrenador del FC Barcelona, el holandés Ronald Koeman, durante el primer entrenamiento que dirige como técnico del Barça, hoy lunes en la Ciudad Deportiva Joan Gamper, en San Juan Despí, Barcelona. EFE/Miguel Ruiz/FC Barcelona ***SOLO USO EDITORIAL/NO VENTAS***

    In a rather similar comparison, the Dutchman also told former Barcelona striker Luis Suarez that he was no longer required at the club via a phone call. The Uruguayan went on to join Atletico Madrid and has also been joined by Ivan Rakitic and Arturo Vidal on his way out of Barcelona.

    For the sake of his development, Puig would be better suited to go out and get some game time under his belt than to warm the bench every week and wait for an opportunity to come by at Barcelona, because Koeman does not look keen on it at all.

  • Ronald Koeman rejects suggestions for mental health for players

    Ronald Koeman rejects suggestions for mental health for players

    Owing to Barcelona’s recent lacklustre performances against Juventus and Cadiz, the team has been subject to a heavy dose of criticism from fans and media alike. One of the suggestions put forth by the public was the hiring of a sports psychologist to help the players get their focus back in the game. 

    However, Ronald Koeman dismissed all possibilities of turning to a mental health specialist for help. 

    “This team has enough personality and experience,” Koeman said in Saturday’s press conference. “It’s a moment for the experienced players who’ve been here for so many years to step up. The good players always stand up. I hope to see the team fired up against Levante on Sunday.” 

    The Barça boss reiterated that:  “I don’t believe in psychologists and mental [issues]. If you play for Barca, pressure exists, you know that, and you have to overcome it.”

    While it is hard to argue with the logic that pressure and expectations are always high at Barcelona, it must be kept in mind that a linear and straightforward approach to problems could be difficult owing to the current situations. 

    With Messi on the verge of leaving the club and Antoine Griezmann continuously the source of criticism, the Barcelona players have a real task on their hands. And that is looking past the distractions and putting their heads back into the matters on the pitch. 

    Koeman will be hoping for a boost in morale, looking for Barcelona’s fifth win in La Liga since the appointment of the Dutch tactician. The Blaugrana host Levante tonight at Camp Nou.  

  • Barcelona’s horrible start to the LaLiga 2020-21 season is their worst in 33 years

    Barcelona’s horrible start to the LaLiga 2020-21 season is their worst in 33 years

    Barcelona managed to suffer their fourth defeat in the 20/21 campaign away against Cadiz in La Liga yesterday. The likes of Martin Braithwaite, Antoine Griezmann, Phillippe Coutinho and Leo Messi were there to front the attack. However, it was not enough against the hosts.

    Cadiz currently find themselves in 5th, behind Real Madrid and Villareal, in third and fourth respectively. Barcelona have only managed to gather 7 points from the last 18 available, and are looking quite inconsistent this season.

    The statistics say that Barcelona have managed to get their worst start in 33 years with their defeat to Cadiz. The Catalonian club were wasteful in possession and were unsuccessful in getting past a resolute Cadiz defence. 

    Leo Messi set an unwanted personal record of having lost the ball the most number of times on the pitch, 29. This is not the first time that the Argentinian has managed to give away the ball so many times.

    He managed to lose the ball on 26 occasions against Real Madrid in El Clasico and 27 times against Alaves in La Liga. In the last 13 matches, Messi has lost the ball the most number of times in 9 of those 13 matches. 

    The club as a whole managed to get 21 shots on goal but had an xG of only close to 1.7. All in all, Ronald Koeman must manage to motivate his team to give a better performance on the pitch since things really haven’t been going in their favour in the matches that matter. 

    The Blaugrana will host Juventus in their final matchday in the Champions League this week. They must find a way to build back the confidence they once showed and win the group to put away doubts about their consistency for the time being. 

  • FC Barcelona to target Eric Garcia after learning about Gerard Pique’s long term injury

    FC Barcelona to target Eric Garcia after learning about Gerard Pique’s long term injury

    One of the long-running sagas of the 2020/21 summer transfer window, was Eric Garcia to Barcelona. Manchester City had bought the youngster for a nominal fee but after the Catalan club came calling this year, the young Spanish centre-back’s head was turned at the prospect of returning to his country and playing in the first team for his boyhood club.

    However, Barcelona were unable to meet City’s valuation of 20 million euros and only offered 10 million euros, considering Garcia’s contract is due to run down at the end of the 2021 summer. That saw negotiations break down and City retain the youngster as their fourth-choice defender in the centre of the backline.

    Rumors: Eric Garcia now Barcelona's top priority after Gerard Pique injury - Barca Blaugranes

    However, with the injury of Gerard Pique which could see him ruled out for upto four months, Barcelona are now targeting some defensive signings for that position in the January winter transfer window. And they believe Garcia can be that replacement not just for the current season but also in the future as well.

    Manager Ronald Koeman had personally requested for him and has also openly spoken about the desire to sign the centre-back. Unquestionably, Garcia would fight in the defence right beside Clement Lenglet and could solve their defensive woes.

    Dynamo de Kiev vs Barcelona: Koeman: Messi will continue to influence Barcelona's success | MARCA in English

    Eric Garcia only broke through to the first team at Manchester City in the 2019/20 season after a long-term injury to Aymeric Laporte. Compounded with the reliability issues of John Stones and Nicholas Otamendi, it gave a golden opportunity for Garcia, who had the time was impressing for the team’s EDS games in the academy.

    Meanwhile, Barcelona are in a bit of a crisis currently, struggling to maintain a winning start to their league campaign. They are currently in 13th position with 11 points and have only won three of their games so far. The club can then hope that it is not too late to rescue the situation, should they get Garcia signed up at the earliest.

  • Griezmann opens up about the three Barcelona coaches he has played under

    Griezmann opens up about the three Barcelona coaches he has played under

    Antoine Griezmann signed for Barcelona before the 2019-20 season began. The former Atletico Madrid player was on Barcelona’s radar from 2018.

    Initially, he refused to sign for the Catalans but eventually he ended up signing for Barcelona a year later. Since joining it hasn’t been easy for the Frenchman at the Camp Nou.

    Griezmann joined Barcelona when Ernesto Valverde was the manager but he was sacked and replaced by Quique Setien after the El Clasico defeat. But Setien didn’t last long as he was also sacked when Barcelona suffered an 8-2 humiliation at the hands of Bayern Munich in the Champions League.

    Now, Barcelona is in the hands of their former player, Ronald Koeman who has been trusted with the job of transforming the team.

    FC Barcelona to train in groups of 10 from tomorrow

    According to a report by Mundo Deportivo, Antoine Griezmann, in the Universo Valdano program in Vamos, talked about the relationship he had with the three managers.

    On Ernesto Valverde, he stressed that “he asked me to play on the left and go into space. Sometimes going inside, but being especially with Jordi Alba going into space. He is the one who brought me and I have a lot of respect for him. I noticed his confidence. “

    On the other hand, he explained a curious chapter with Quique SetiĂ©n, of which he said that “I learned a lot from the ball exit and from some unmarkings and passes during the game.”

    “My relationship with him was normal. My parents sometimes told me to ask him why I didn’t play or why I changed and I said it didn’t make sense, because they weren’t asked when I started either. After Athletic I played for five minutes, he told me he wanted to talk to me and I told him that it was not necessary. He told me how long was he going to be angry. I told him calm down, that I would work and I would not complain. If you want to put me, you put me. I’m still mad at Quique for missing that game,” he said with a smile.

    Griezmann also took the opportunity to clarify his statements about his position, which some took advantage of to interpret it as an attack on Ronald Koeman.

    He said: “I wanted to defend Deschamps, I was not talking about Koeman, but they wanted to make a controversy. There is always something and I can never enjoy myself, I hope everything calms down.”

  • Here’s how Ronald Koeman is preparing Barcelona for a Messi-less future

    Here’s how Ronald Koeman is preparing Barcelona for a Messi-less future

    Leo Messi is without a shadow of a doubt one of, if not the single greatest player to ever play the game. While there have been stumbling blocks for La Pulga throughout his career, none have been so prominent as the one he faces right now. 

    A stat published by ‘The xG Philosophy’ indicates that Messi’s xG (expected goals) from open play is 4.33. However, the Barcelona captain has only managed to net one goal that was not from the penalty spot. 

    While Messi’s xG underperformance is the highest in La Liga, his numbers fall short to Moussa Dembele of Lyon. The Ligue 1 striker has an open play xG of 3.89 but is yet to score once this season. 

    While a singular statistic can only go so far as to determine things on the pitch, the fact that Messi’s career seems to be on a downward slope seems further proven by the fact that this is his worst individual performance since the start of the season in 15 years. 

    Though the Argentinian has not been directly involved in setting up, as well as scoring the goals as much he has in previous seasons, there is reason to believe that Ronald Koeman is indeed preparing Barcelona for a future without Messi. 

    Ronald Koeman wants to make five or six signings for the upcoming season

    Imbibing a team spirit into the players rather than have them turn to their captain to pull them out of danger all the time is something that should have been done long ago. However, it is not too late to make amends now, and that is exactly what Koeman seems up to. 

    The Dutch tactician has rested Messi, as well as Frenkie de Jong for Barcelona’s Champions League match against Dynamo Kiev. With the fixtures coming thick and fast, it is important that the coach takes care of his prized assets. 

    Relying on the other world-class players to deal with the clash midweek could be a great way to take a step further on the project of building Barcelona back to a team. 

  • Koeman rests Messi and De Jong for the trip to Kiev

    Koeman rests Messi and De Jong for the trip to Kiev

    Ronald Koeman has called up 19 players for match day four in the Champions League group stage

    Barcelona has been suffering a bad form in their own league and indeed this is the worst situation ever for the Blaugranas. However, their Champions League situation looks good as they sit top of the table and with a win they will surely secure their place for the Champions League knockout stage.

    Also, they have some matches left and so the Dutch coach has rested two of its main players Messi and De Jong, who were part of the last 1-0 defeat against Atletico de Madrid. FC Barcelona will be visiting Dynamo Kiev this Tuesday with a 9.00pm CET kick-off time.

    Here’s the club statement:

    Ronald Koeman has decided to call up 19 players for this match, which will be played at the Kiev Olympic Stadium. They are: Ter Stegen, Dest, Aleñå, Griezmann, Pjanic, Braithwaite, O. DembĂ©lĂ©, Riqui Puig, Neto, Coutinho, Lenglet, Pedri, Trincao, Jordi Alba, Matheus, Junior, Iñaki Peña, O. Mingueza and Konrad. PiquĂ©, Ansu Fati, Sergi Roberto, Umtiti, Sergio and Araujo are out through injury, whilst De Jong and Messi have been rested for this match. Koeman explained these two absences by saying that the players “need a break.”

    This will be a great chance for the Barca youngsters as a lot of players remain injured but their main problem lies with Sergi Roberto’s and Pique’s long term injury that can weaken their defence, with Araujo and Umtiti also injured, Barcelona’s back line looks thinner than usual.

    Obviously, saving his two main players is a good move by Koeman and this means De Jong’s role is up for grabs by young Aleñå or Riqui Puig. Whereas Pique’s role could be taken by Barca B players and for Messi, Trincao or Coutinho can play in. It will be a more young Barca to look forward to on Tuesday against Dynamo Kiev.

    via FC Barcelona

  • Who is Alejandro Balde, the 17-year-old left-back promoted to Barcelona first team?

    Who is Alejandro Balde, the 17-year-old left-back promoted to Barcelona first team?

    In a surprising promotion for La Masia academy member Alejandro Balde, the 17-year-old has been called up by Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman to train with the team.

    The idea is to integrate the player into the first-team action gradually, considering the club are willing to sell existing backup left-back Junior Firpo in the winter window to sell the player and raise some funds, considering Barcelona’s dire financial situation at the moment.

    Koeman believes that Balde could be an adept replacement and also be a good understudy to current first-choice left-back Jordi Alba at the club. 

    Barcelona: Barcelona pearl Alejandro Balde a possible replacement for JĂșnior - AS.com

    Barcelona who have always been known for playing out bold moves to promote their youth players have taken the same step with young Balde as well. But it is interesting to note that the young defender has not featured for the B team in the Segunda Division yet.

    Which means that from the current setup of the U19s, he will directly make the jump up to the first team and that is indeed a big thing for the player. He is currently out having injured his ankle earlier this year and will feature only in January. 

    La Masia: Alejandro Balde | BarcaBlog

    Those who have seen him closely believe that Balde’s main strengths include his physicality, pace and attacking play aspects. However, in order to become a more complete defender, he will be groomed by the coaching staff at the club and kept a close eye on.

    The earliest possibilities where he could play would be the Copa Del Rey matches and that can also present a chance for Jordi Alba to be rested.

    Regardless, it is a big moment for Balde who will begin training as soon as early January next year and dream of training and even playing with some of the biggest footballers at the Catalan club.

    Do check out:

    https://technosports.co.in/2020/11/16/lionel-messi-entitled-to-a-e33-million-loyalty-bonus-even-if-he-leaves-barcelona/
  • Here is what Ronald Koeman’s new Barcelona locker room looks like

    Here is what Ronald Koeman’s new Barcelona locker room looks like

    Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman took up the job in what is arguably still the most tumultuous time in the club’s recent history. 

    Leo Messi was on the verge of leaving the club, the financial mismanagement is still unresolved, and Josep Maria Bartomeu resigned from his post of President. 

    In the midst of all this, the Dutch manager has stuck to the primary focus of getting results on the pitch. While he hasn’t been as successful as the board hoped he would be, the overall picture does not look too bleak. 

    Fati, Coutinho and Messi impress as Barca break the curse of Balaidos

    One of the few notable changes that Koeman has made during his time at Barcelona is ditching the long-favoured 4-3-3 formation for the Blaugrana for a 4-2-3-1 double pivot. 

    Additionally, Koeman has also been at work in the locker room and has quite literally restructured the player’s locker positions. 

    The original report was written by Javier Miguel of AS, and here is what the insider had to say regarding the issue:

    “One of the best-kept secrets of the dressing room is the order of the players’ lockers

    “Nothing is random and a strict configuration is followed. Ronald Koeman has actively participated in choosing this order, after consulting with the captains and delegate Carles Naval with the ambition of achieving a professional atmosphere and promoting good vibes within the group.”

    Captain Leo Messi sits in the middle of the U shaped arch, having a clear view of everything going around in the room. Marc Andre Ter-Stegen and Trincao sit on the either side of La Pulga. 

    New arrival Sergino Dest sits beside Frenkie de Jong, which is understandable considering their Ajax background. 

    Griezmann sits right next to Ter Stegen while Umtiti and Dembele, being fellow Frenchmen, are also placed next to each other. 

    Barcelona are currently in 8th, and will be looking to climb back into the top four at the very least. 

    Do check out:

    https://technosports.co.in/2020/11/14/neymar-to-barcelona-reportedly-in-the-talks-once-again/
  • Alena and Puig deemed surplus to requirements by Barcelona

    Alena and Puig deemed surplus to requirements by Barcelona

    The amount of pressure that Ronald Koeman was under when he took the Barcelona job is not a matter of joke. The Dutch tactician has since managed to reverse his perception among Barcelona fans following some decent performances from the team. 

    However, that could soon change considering that Riqui Puig is among the six players deemed surplus to requirements by the man in charge at Camp Nou. 

    Barcelona fans are some of the most passionate supporters in the world and are also quick to criticise flaws. Puig has managed to build a reputation among the fans as a wonderkid and is the future of the Barcelona midfield in the eyes of many. 

    Ansu Fati and Riqui Puig show their talent in the match against Leganes

    Puig was supposed to be sent out on loan to get some well-needed game time but decided to stay at his boyhood club and fight the likes of Frenkie De Jong, Sergio Busquets and Miralem Pjanic for minutes in the heart of the park. 

    The youngster has only featured once for the first team and has spent most of his time on the bench. In addition, Carles Alena is also not a part of Koeman’s plans for the club. 

    Junior Firpo, Samuel Umtiti, Matheus Fernandes and Martin Braithwaite are amongst the players who have been encouraged to move on by the coach. 

    Samuel Umtiti to be shown the exit door this time by FC Barcelona

    The club will be intending to sanction transfers for all the players. However, they would be wise to send Alena and Puig on loan to another team so that they can develop their game. 

    Should they sell the pair, the inclusion of a buy-back clause could put Barcelona in an advantage if they turn out to be impressive elsewhere. 

    Samuel Umtiti has not featured under Koeman, and neither has Matheus Fernandes. It is imperative that the club will be looking to get rid of them, along with Junior Firpo, permanently.

    Do check out:

    https://technosports.co.in/2020/11/12/memphis-depay-move-to-barcelona-stalled-till-summer-of-2021/