BARCELONA – Ronald Koeman fled this Sunday from any disproportionate euphoria over Atletico’s draw against Getafe and called for caution in “going game to game” thinking of winning a league that was just a month ago less than a chimera. “We are fine, with a lot of energy and improving, but now the important thing is to win tomorrow in Huesca, which will not be easy.”
The Barcelona coach had a moment to highlight the figure of Messi, who if he plays this Monday’s match will equal the 767 that Xavi played, solving that it is “an incredible number, a great milestone like the one that get Xavi “and referring to the ‘talking about the captain” everything is great: the number of games, goals, hat-tricks, titles … You can not say much more than hopefully, I hope, continue to grow his figures at Barça “.
“Atletico,” he warned when he was reminded of everything his team has cut, “is very competitive. I don’t like to talk about other teams because what we have to do is look at ourselves, but it hasn’t gone down much either. Yesterday they lacked effectiveness against Getafe, which is what has happened to us other times. They had many chances to win and it is still a very strong team with which we will have to fight until the end to win the League “.
“It’s weird to play on Monday,” Koeman admitted, refusing, once again, to pull his chest out of Simeone’s team’s tie: “Today it’s sunny but tomorrow it may rain again … I mean you don’t have to laugh of the others because it starts with oneself. the team is put in for a long time and it is not for the results of the others. everyone is very put in, plugged in, wants to be, also the injured, and you notice in the field this atmosphere and energy ” .
“What is shown is that there are no easy matches. Huesca is last but I have seen several of his matches and it gives a lot of problems, it will not be easy,” warned the coach, arguing that despite having cut distances “it is very It shows that we have improved and that no team has easy matches, you have to put a lot to win, it doesn’t depend on the rival because the bottom ones fight not to go down and the top ones to enter Europe. table and knowing we can’t fail ”.
In this sense, he hinted that he has Messi and De Jong even though both “are on a penalty card … but it’s not time to think about it. I don’t mean that tomorrow’s match is easier than Sunday because I don’t see it that way … the next game is the most important and you have to go with everything “.
“Any team has ups and downs and the one with the least lows is the one with the most chances of winning the title,” he summed up in a league overview, reiterating that “we have the experience that it is not easy to keep up. results. That’s why I say the important thing is to go from game to game because today the sun rises but tomorrow it may rain. We must continue with this energy and be humble, always game by game without looking at others. “
“I’ve always said it’s a very long season. It’s not normal for Atlético to score points in the first half of the season because it was very strong and very effective. Our trajectory since the last defeat in Cádiz has been very good and shows that there will be a League until the last day and it will be difficult for everyone. for us, for Atlético and also for Real “said Koeman, who did not hide his satisfaction with his team’s game in Paris.
“Of course, the maximum a coach can ask for is the level we played the other day in Paris and have more effectiveness, of course. This is so if we analyze this season that we have lost points for not having effectiveness that must have a team like Barça, which we created a lot of opportunities “highlighted the Barça coach, who pointed out that” not even in the 6-1 have I been told that the team had as many opportunities as we had. What happens is that we need more effectiveness and we are working on that. “
Proud of the growth of his squad, Koeman made it clear that this Barça “has a great future. There is a lot of quality, we have changed things and this is clear. It is the path we started and it is not finished”. In this sense, he praised the rise of young people … But he took the opportunity to show his satisfaction with veterans: “Everything also depends on the elderly because there is a lot of talk about young people but we must highlight the dedication and energy that Leo puts , Piqué, Busquets, Alba, Sergi Roberto … The team in general has a great future. With everyone “.
Delivered in the role of a De Jong who said “he will be here for many years”, Koeman highlighted his “improvement compared to last year and the responsibility he is taking, which I really like. To be a foreigner you have to to make a difference, Barça have always had that, what they need from foreigners. Until today Frenkie is having a great season, you can’t ask for more. “
Satisfied with the reaction of the German Nagelsmann, who asked for respect for Koeman to be related to the Barça bench, the Dutchman considered his reaction “very good”, although he made it clear that he did not it’s a circumstance that worries him: “I don’t have to answer names of coaches that a journalist took out. names are not missing and pages have to be filled every day. The only thing certain is that I have a contract,” he ruled.
And he was less concise when referring to the possible incorporation of Jordi Cruyff or his relationship with Laporta. About Jordi he agreed that “I can’t say much because these are things that the club has to decide. I know Jordi well, of course, like his family and he can be a good candidate, but I haven’t talked about this” , acknowledging that with the new president he has spoken, for the time being, “the just.”
“I haven’t talked much with the president yet because there are a lot of parties and he has to be official even if he’s appointed. We talk about something during the trip to Paris but we have to meet later. And it’s not things to explain outside but they are from within the club “he closed.