Getty Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman
Former Barcelona defender Junior Firpo has criticized former manager Ronald Koeman and has accused the Dutch coach of lying to him during his time at the Camp Nou.
Firpo arrived at Barcelona from Real Betis in 2019 for €18 million plus €12m in variables but was sold in the summer of 2021 to Premier League side Leeds United after struggling for regular game time.
Firpo told Cadena SER that he used to ask Koeman why he was not playing until “one day he begins to lie to me.” The left-back said the former Barca boss claimed he was not training well and had a bad attitude.
“At that point, when the coach begins to lie to you and you realize that he is cheating on you … well, why are you going to keep asking him for explanations if in the end he is going to cheat on you again and again,” he said. “He lies to me because he tells me things that make no sense, that I train badly, that I contaminate the group … things like that. You can ask any of the players who are still in the squad and they agreed with me. I do not know what it means that I contaminate the group, I suppose it would refer to my attitude. I do not know in what way a young boy who has just arrived is going to contaminate a group that has won everything and has been there all their lives. My opinion is not going to change their way of training at alL.”
Firpo moved to Leeds in July 2021 for an undisclosed fee, signing a four-year deal at Elland Road. The 25-year-old has gone on to make 12 appearances in all competitions for Marcelo Bielsa’s side.
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Firpo Talks Koeman Disrespect
The former Barcelona defender has also admitted he felt disrespected by Koeman. Firpo opened up about how difficult it was to impress the Dutchman in training because he would not watch the substitutes in action.
“There was disrespect, not only to me, but to all teammates. I will never understand that after a game, when the substitutes train the next day, Koeman stayed in his room while we were training,” he said. “If I have to show you that I have to play … the only way I have to show you is in training. When the whole group trains it is more complicated, there are many of us, we do quick exercises and they are tired after playing the game. The day I have to show you that I want to play is the day after the game where the substitutes train hard … and you are not here.”
Firpo is not the first player to complain about Koeman’s methods. Midfielder Miralem Pjanic, who is currently on loan at Turkish side Besiktas has also hit out at the former Barca coach, as shown by reporter Fabrizio Romano.
Koeman was sacked by Barcelona after 14 months in charge in November 2021 and replaced by club legend and former midfielder Xavi Hernandez.
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Ex-Barcelona Defender Rips Koeman: He Lied to Me