“Ronald Koeman will be the coach” of FC Barcelona, President Josep Maria Bartomeu announced on Tuesday evening during an interview on BarçaTV, the Catalan club's television channel. "If all goes well, Koeman will be the coach that we announce and who will lead this team and these players with a different project," Bartomeu said, the day after the dismissal of Quique Setién, in office since January.
“We bet on him, because we know him well, we know how he sees things, how he wants his teams to play, but also for his experience, because he was in the + Dream Team + of (Johan) Cruyff, because he knows Barça and his way of seeing football, ”continued the Blaugrana president.
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Aged 57, Koeman has been coach of the Netherlands since 2018. He wore the Barça jersey from 1989 to 1995 and won four Spanish league titles as well as the 1992 Champions League, the first title in C1 of Catalan club. Regarding Eric Abidal, whose sports director's contract was terminated on Tuesday, Bartomeu certified that "it was he who communicated to us that he wanted to leave his post, it is a personal decision".
Staff renewal
“It's his decision, you have to accept it. We thank him for these years of dedication and work, he was a very good collaborator, ”said the manager. After the terrible 8-2 conceded in the quarter-final of the Champions League on Friday against Bayern Munich, Barça plunged into a deep crisis.
“In the last few days we've talked a lot. We are facing a sports crisis, but not an institutional or club crisis. We need an evolution, with players who have had their day, who must leave, and others who will arrive. We are in the process of making these decisions, we have a plan of attack, ”Bartomeu agreed. The Catalan president, also threatened, returned to the elections for the club's presidency, scheduled for mid-March 2021.
“We made this decision out of responsibility. We didn't want to quit, because La Liga resumes in five weeks, and we have to plan all that. To leave now would have been irresponsible. Holding the elections from March 15 will allow the organization of an institutional transition in all serenity. Resigning and packing our bags would have been the easiest, but it was irresponsible, ”Bartomeu said.
The leader again promised that "the renewal of the workforce will be as deep as it takes for the new project to be successful." We will organize ourselves to win everything. It is a goal, a necessity, and an aspiration, ”Bartomeu promised.
Ronald Koeman's victorious free kick with Barcelona in the Champions League final (1992)
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