The manager of FC Barcelona, Ronald Koeman decided to hijack a pre-match press conference organized on Wednesday for the league game between his team and Cadiz.
The match is scheduled to take place later today, September 23, 2021, at Estadio Nuevo Mirandilla. It will kick off at 21:00.
When Ronald Koeman showed up at the press conference as he is mandated to do, he decided to read out a scripted statement instead of waiting to entertain questions from the press.
After reading out the statement, the Dutch tactician who first made his name as a footballer at FC Barcelona decided to leave the press conference without answering any question.
This is coming after his team managed to win two games and draw two games so far this season. It also came about a week after Bayern Munich slammed Barcelona with a 3-0 defeat in a Champions League group game.
Barcelona are currently sitting 8th in the La Liga table with 8 points in 4 games. They have conceded 5 goals and scored 8 goals in the league so far which is unlike FC Barcelona.
Hence, pressure has been mounting on Koeman to deliver both from the fans and reportedly from the club’s president Joan Laporta.
In recent home games that FC Barcelona played, the number of club fans that showed up for the home games dropped by 45 percent due to the poor form of the club.
In his message to the fans ahead of Barcelona’s visit to Cadiz, Ronald Koeman sought unconditional support for his team.
He also urged the critics of the club to be patient with the young crop of players at the club, adding that the club is in a building process.
Below is Ronald Koeman’s statement in full:
“Hello everyone. The club with me as a coach is in a situation of rebuilding.
“The financial situation of the club is connected to the sporting activities and vice versa. This means we as a team have to rebuild the team without being able to make any big financial investments. This needs time.
“The young talent today could be the next big world star in just a few years. To rebuild this team, young players will be given opportunities like Xavi and Iniesta had in their day. But we must ask for patience.
“Achieving a high ranking in La Liga is a great success. In the Champions League, we can’t hope for miracles. The defeat by Bayern Munich last week has to be analyzed from that perspective.
“The process we’re in now with the staff and the team deserves unconditional support, in words and actions. I know the press recognizes this process.
“It’s not the first time in Barcelona’s history this has happened. We count on your support in these difficult times.
“As staff and players, we are very happy with the great support of the fans, like we had in the match against Granada. Visca Barca, thanks to everyone.”
Ronald Koeman left the Barcelona press conference after reading out a statement and refusing to take questions.
— Goal (@goal) September 22, 2021
According to reports, the club didn’t know that was what he planned to do 😳pic.twitter.com/7CZ3I79NdJ
Ronald Koeman is not Joan Laporta’s ideal man for the future
Before Joan Laporta became the president of FC Barcelona in 2020, Ronald Koeman has already been appointed the coach of the club. Hence, he had no choice but to allow him to continue.
Laporta almost got rid of Koeman ahead of the 2021-2022 season but later allowed him to continue when the club could not get a suitable replacement.
As it stands, Barcelona are reportedly planning to replace the Dutch tactician with Belgium manager Roberto Martinez if the fortune of the club does not improve in the coming weeks.
While on the long-term perspective of Laporta, former midfielder of the club and Spanish legend, Xavi is seen as his ideal man for the job. Xavi is currently the head coach of Qatar Stars League club Al Sadd.
