Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman has offered some insight into why 21-year-old midfielder Riqui Puig is struggling for game time at the Camp Nou this season.
The talented youngster is a La Masia graduate and popular among supporters but was advised by Koeman at the start of the season to seek a loan move away from Barcelona in order to play regularly.
Puig opted to stay and fight for his place and has provided some bright cameos off the bench for Barcelona. However, he is yet to force his way into the team and make a single start for the Catalan giants in 2020-21.
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Koeman Talks Differences Between Puig and Araujo
Koeman has, however, been willing to offer plenty of chances to other youngsters including Ronald Araujo, Pedri, Francisco Trincao, and Oscar Mingueza.
Indeed Araujo looks set for a regular run in the team after replacing injured center-back Gerard Pique, and the Barcelona coach was asked about the difference between the Uruguay international and Puig in his pre-match press conference on Friday, as reported by Sport.
We are talking about different players. Maybe Riqui Puig needs more physique, but I like people who work to improve every day. And who take with both hands all the options they have to improve things.
In that [Puig’s] position on the field there is a lot of competition but perhaps in training he does not do enough to make the coach change his way of thinking. Today it is not all about quality, you need other things as well.
Puig has only made four appearances this season for Barcelona. His only La Liga outing came as a late substitute against Getafe in October. The midfielder’s other three appearances all came as a substitute in the Champions League for Barcelona.
Koeman’s relationship with the midfielder was put in the spotlight again before Barcelona’s win over Levante on Sunday. A report by El Pais was published ahead of the match which described how Koeman had accused Puig of leaking locker room information at the start of the season and called out the youngster in front of the entire squad.
Puig To Miss Out Again?
Koeman’s latest comments suggest supporters are unlikely to see Puig feature in Barcelona’s next La Liga match against Valencia on Saturday at the Camp Nou.
Barca head into the fixture after morale-boosting wins over Levante and Real Sociedad that have propelled them into fifth place in the league table. Koeman was asked for his thoughts on Saturday’s opponents and urged his side to take their chances.
Well, every game we play depends on ourselves. We have to be really focused on the match and we know that Valencia are a strong team. In the last six games, they have lost just once, against Atletico, and they beat Real Madrid and drew four. We always create chances, but we must be more clinical.
Valencia’s form has been patchy this season but their last victory was a convincing 4-1 win over defending champions Real Madrid. Los Che ran out 2-0 winners the last time they met Barcelona in La Liga but were hammered 5-2 on their last visit to the Camp Nou.
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Barcelona Boss Koeman Takes Fresh Swipe at Riqui Puig