Getty Ronald Koeman during Barcelona's UCL tie with Benfica.
Barcelona midfielder Miralem Pjanic has not been afraid to show his frustration at coach Ronald Koeman and has taken a fresh swipe at the Dutchman and his methods at the Camp Nou.
Pjanic joined Turkish side Besiktas on loan at the start of September after spending the majority of his first season at Barcelona on the bench. He’s enjoyed a bright start to life with his new club, contributing three assists in his first five outings.
Meanwhile, Barcelona have endured a difficult start to their 2021-22 campaign. The Catalan giants have lost both Champions League fixtures and are ninth in La Liga. Pjanic has offered his thoughts on his parent club and their coach in an interview with beIN Sports.
The 31-year-old says a “good leader” is required at the Camp Nou to turn the team’s fortunes around and get Barca back in a position to challenge for silverware once again.
“[Barcelona] are going through difficult times. The results are not going as the fans want, which puts pressure on the players,” he said. “Maybe a good leader is needed to get the team back on its feet. Barcelona will return to the past, but it will take some time. Barca are always one of the four or five biggest clubs in the world and they will go back to the old days.”
It’s not the first time Pjanic has voiced his disapproval of Koeman. The midfielder complained about about his lack of game time in December 2020 and claimed Koeman “disrespected” him after he completed his loan move away from Barcelona.
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Pjanic Could Return to Barcelona
Pjanic could still return to Barcelona at the end of the season. The former Juventus star’s loan to Besiktas expires on 30 June 2022 and does not include a purchase option.
The midfielder’s Barcelona contract runs until 2024 which means he will still have two left years on his deal once his loan with the Turkish side expires.
According to Marca, Pjanic agreed to cut his salary by 60 percent when he completed his move away which should help the club’s current financial crisis.
It remains to be seen if Pjanic will get another chance at Barcelona. The Bosnia and Herzegovina international admitted it was a “real dream” to play for the club when he first arrived but the transfer so far simply hasn’t worked out.
A change in coach could help Pjanic’s chances and there is continued speculation Koeman could be fired. However, Barca don’t lack for younger midfield options with Frenkie de Jong, Pedri, Nico Gonzalez, Riqui Puig, and Gavi all part of the first-team squad currently.
Koeman Told To Give Koeman Time
Former Barcelona striker Patrick Kluivert has told the Catalan giants that Koeman needs to be given time after so much change at the Camp Nou. Another chaotic summer saw a host of players leave including captain Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann.
Kluivert told Marca that he is hopeful the situation at Barcelona will improve soon, as reported by Football Espana.
“I haven’t spoken with Koeman but his dismissal is the easiest. You have to let him work. You have to give him time to manage the team after so much change,” he said. “The situation at Barcelona can only be fixed with sporting results and I hope that it will be soon.”
Barcelona return to action on Sunday, October 17 when Valencia are the visitors to the Camp Nou in La Liga.
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