Koeman: “In a classic there are no favorites”

«In a classic there is no clear favorite. We play at home and we have our people. We want to show once again that we have a good team “, this is how Ronald Koeman presented himself at the press conference prior to his team’s momentous clash against Real Madrid. The Dutch coach does not believe that his team will start at a disadvantage despite the doubts generated after the Champions League match against Dinamo Kiev and ensures that he does not feel that the match against the eternal rival is an examination for his continuity at Barça.

Koeman confidently faces another new final with Barcelona. After the triumphs against Valencia and Dinamo Kiev, the Dutchman comes to the duel against Real Madrid with the certainty of playing a good game at the Camp Nou. “We can show that we are on the right track and the result is extremely important. You have to play without fear, show that we can win and show that desire from the start, ”said the Dutchman.

The culé coach did not want to give too many clues about the team that he will put in the contest in the classic but he did leave touches about the type of game that will be seen on the Camp Nou pitch. «Neither we to them nor they to us can be surprised. They are a very experienced team, with great players. For us, possession will be important, while they play well against it. We have to be well organized when we have the ball and lose it. You have to control their counterattack, “said Koeman.

It will be a special classic for Koeman. Since he landed at the Camp Nou, the pandemic has prevented him from living a game against the eternal rival with the public, something he did as a footballer. I know the importance of this. I have lost and won classics as a player and you have to see the positive side. It is my first classic as a coach with an audience and this is different. You have to be hopeful to win the match, “he declared.

A victory against Real Madrid would allow Barça to close immaculately a crucial week in the league and in the Champions League, something that could be a mental boost for the future. «It does not depend on a single party. It is important to win and it would give us a lot of confidence with all the changes we have made and the young people who are entering. I do not feel that it is an exam but it is a Classic that we want to win and we have to prove it, “said Koeman.

The game against Real Madrid will be special for important players in the reconstruction of Koeman’s Barcelona. Eric García, Gavi or Memphis will experience a game against Real Madrid for the first time as Blaugranas, something that the Dutchman does not think they will weigh. «You have to play it. There are enough players who have lived a classic for many years and can help them. You have to enjoy the game and play with personality to do the job you want to do, “he said.

Finally, Koeman was asked about the debate on Ansu Fati or Vinicius, the two fashionable players from both teams. «They are showing a lot, they are on the right track. Ansu must be left alone so that he can recover and have the rhythm that each player needs and we must not think that it is only Ansu. It is part of the team, “he concluded.