Koeman: “The president has defended me, but any coach must win to continue”

“I’m used to having a lot of talk about my future. No need to worry about me. The president has defended me and supported me, he has made things clear as it should be. But any coach to continue must win games“. Ronald Koeman has it clear. Right now when a decisive week begins this Sunday for Barça. And, of course, for him.

Valencia arrives (“we have to improve defensively, it is a tough and competitive team,” he warned), then Dynamo Kiev, gambling for the European future in a single night after two defeats (0-3 with Bayern and 3-0 with Benfica) and then Madrid appear. The three games at the Camp Nou under the demanding gaze of the culé public (“he has always been phenomenal with us”) and the even more demanding opinion of Laporta.

He has even changed his speech. Now, Koeman’s tone, which was no longer as energetic as lately, does not however hide his ambition, as he has been rescuing forwards from the infirmary. “Little by little, and with the changes we have made, is the template we want. If we recover the injured and improve, we have a squad to compete and win the championship, I’m sure of that “, said the Barça coach.

“I have seen the team very involved, everyone knows that it is a very important week,” proclaimed the coach, aware that the first of the three games “is very important” because he will have a football and emotional influence about the other two. “I try to be calm, although I know it is not easy,” he confessed Koeman.

“You have to put energy into what you have a certain control, a certain influence, in improving the team,” recalled the Barça coach, aware that he is approaching a decisive week. “Our situation in the league will depend a lot on the games we have at home this week,” he added.

If he adds six points out of six, Barça will have scared away fears, at least in the League. Then he must make “six out of six”, as Koeman himself said, in the Champions League, winning the double duel with Dynamo Kiev to have a chance of reaching the round of 16. “Now I’m only worried about tomorrow’s game“, stressed the coach.

A party where you can see Kun Agüero. Not much time. Headline? Either. “He has improved a lot, the other day he played 20-25 minutes in Wednesday’s friendly,” Koeman said about the duel with Cornellà (2-2). “But lacks rhythmHe lacks a certain physique and he has to win it in games. It is not a question of its quality, we all know what Kun is within the area or near the area. He can give a lot to this team upstairs, “the coach acknowledged.

But Koeman wants to go little by little with the Argentine forward. The same with Dembélé, who is not yet included in the dynamics of the first team. It is not even known if he will be available for the classic against Madrid. “There are things that must improve to be able to be with the group”; the Barça coach has specified.

Just as cautious is shown with Ansu Fati. “We will decide tomorrow if he starts. He has been out for a long time, but what we cannot think is that he can play the entire three games, we must remember that he has been injured for a long time. You have to choose the best for him and for the team“, said Koeman, who has praised the attitude of Pedri, recently renewed until 2026 with a clause of 1,000 million euros.

Praise to Pedri and Gavi

“I do not put the clauses,” said the technician when asked about that galactic figure, which exceeds the 800 million euros it had Griezmann in his day or the 700 of Messi. “It is a club issue, but I am very happy that Pedri has renewed with us. He is an example of a young man who knows the situation perfectly. And there are many young people who have a great future ahead of them,” added the coach.

Among them is, of course, Gavi. “He has shown, despite his age, that he knows how to play. When you give him an opportunity like I or Luis Enrique did with Spain, he has taken advantage of it. It’s the good thing about football. You give young people opportunities and, in the end It depends on them. It is very important to have those players because they are the future. ”