Getty Ronald Koeman during Barcelona's draw with Granada.
Barcelona have reportedly already decided to fire coach Ronald Koeman as soon as a replacement for the Dutchman can be found to take over at the Camp Nou.
Journalist Joan Vehils has reported the club has decided Koeman’s time is up and he will be removed from his position before his contract expires at the end of the season. Vehils wrote on Twitter, “This can be today, tomorrow, next week or in a fortnight, but the decision has been made.”
The news comes after Barcelona’s disappointing draw with Granada in La Liga on Monday at the Camp Nou. Koeman’s side narrowly avoided defeat and needed a late equalizer from Ronald Araujo to secure a 1-1 draw.
Barcelona were far from impressive at the Camp Nou in a chaotic performance that saw the Catalan giants pepper the Granada penalty area with crosses, as shown by Opta.
54 – @FCBarcelona have made 54 total crosses vs Granada CF, their second highest tally in a single LaLiga game since, at least 2005/06 (after 55 vs Málaga in Novembert 2016). Bombing. pic.twitter.com/WwegUTpT33
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) September 20, 2021
The hosts ended the game with center-back Gerard Pique up front alongside Dutch striker Luuk de Jong and needed another defender, Araujo, to rescue a point against a Granada side still searching for a first win in 2021-22.
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Koeman Explains Barcelona Systeem
Koeman spoke about his system for the game after the match. The Dutchman started off with a front three of Yusuf Demir, Philippe Coutinho, and Memphis Depay but changed things in the second half as his team chased a goal.
The Barcelona coach was without a host of attackers due to injury, including Ansu Fati, Ousmane Dembele, and Sergio Aguero, and said he did the best with the players he had available, as reported by Marca.
“Look at our squad list. We did what we could. We don’t have the players from the tiki-taka days. We have to play with our own style,” he said. “I think we did well and, with some more time, we could have won. The basic system was 4-3-3 in the first half, then I had to make changes based on what I had on the bench. This isn’t the Barcelona of eight years ago. That’s the way it is. With Ansu [Fati] and [Ousmane] Dembele it’s different because we have more depth.”
Koeman also admitted “you can’t be happy with a draw against Granada” and will know he’s in a precarious position ahead of Thursday’s trip to Cadiz in La Liga.
Anyone in the US can watch the upcoming action and all La Liga matches live on ESPN+:
Who Could Replace Koeman?
There has already been plenty of speculation regarding who could replace Koeman. Club legend Xavi and Belgium coach Roberto Martinez have already been mentioned as possible candidates.
Journalist Gerard Romero has reported there are some other names on the table now too. Philip Cocu, Antonio Conte, Andrea Pirlo, and Joachim Lowe are also thought to be under consideration.
Koeman has made it clear he wants to stay in charge and see out his contract, which expires at the end of the current campaign, but it certainly seems his days as Barcelona coach look to be numbered now.
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