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Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman has discussed his future at the club amid fresh speculation the Dutchman could be sacked from his role at the end of the 2020-21 season.
Koeman told a news conference on Monday that he is not worried about the rumors and will wait until the end of the campaign to talk to president Joan Laporta, as reported by Diario Sport.
“There’s no need to look for things where there is nothing. From the first day, the president has shown confidence in me. He’s the one who can make decisions and after the season finishes, we will talk about the future,” he said. “But I am not worried, I signed a two-year deal and I see myself here next year. If that’s not the case, the president will have to speak to me. We’ve arranged to talk at the end of the campaign. There are still two weeks to go and we have three very important games, so now is not the time to talk about my future.”
Koeman won his first trophy as Barcelona boss in April, beating Athletic Club 4-0 to lift the Copa del Rey. The Catalan giants also remain in contention in La Liga with three games left to play.
Barca must still face Levante, Celta Vigo, and Eibar and must win all three games and hope both Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid drop points if Koeman’s men are to finish top of the pile.
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‘Growing Doubts’ Over Koeman’s Future
Koeman signed a two-year deal when he took over from Quique Setien in August 2020, but there’s no guarantee he will see out his deal and changes could be made over the summer following Laporta’s appointment as president.
According to Moises Llorens and Sam Marsden at ESPN, the Barcelona board has “growing doubts” about Koeman’s future and he could be removed even if he guides the club to the league title.
Koeman’s critics believe the Dutchman’s “style of play doesn’t fit with the club’s long-term goals” and have questioned his “his overly defensive tactics at times” as well as his poor results in crucial games.
Barca has not beaten title rivals Real Madrid or Atletico in La Liga this season and also suffered big defeats in the Champions League to both Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain.
Koeman Staying Calm
Koeman was also asked if he’s frustrated about the continued doubts over his future but insisted it’s part of the job and happens to plenty of other managers in Europe’s top jobs.
“I don’t think it’s only me, it also happens with other coaches. Maybe it’s a custom here (in Spain). As a foreigner, I can’t change that,” he aded. “There are things that are in the press, everyone has their opinion… The only thing I want is that with the people I work with, we analyze the season in two weeks and see the changes we’ve made.”
The Barcelona boss will return to the touchline for the team’s next game on Tuesday against Levante after serving a two-match ban for his red card against Granada. The Catalan giants can go top of the table, temporarily as least, with a victory over Paco Lopez’s side.
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