October 03, (THEWILL) – Embattled Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman has been handed a lifeline, after Barcelona president Joan Laporta stated that the Dutch manager will not be fired anytime soon.
Laporta said Koeman deserves time and that the club has faith in the manager’s ability to turn things around.
A terrible start to the season has prompted calls for the manager’s dismissal, with disappointing results in the La Liga and the UEFA Champions League adding to the fans’ discontent.
As a result, speculation over who would replace Koeman in the Camp Nou dugout has been prevalent, but Laporta claims Koeman will be given more time – at least in the short term – to get Barca back to competing at a high level.
The president, speaking to the press prior of a tense match against Atletico Madrid, said: “Ronald Koeman will continue as the manager of Barca, he deserves a margin of confidence. Koeman is a cule and a reference for Barcelona.
“I have spoken with him and I have drawn my conclusions. I really appreciate that he is leading Barca at a time of difficulty.”
It is undeniable that Koeman has struggled for positive results, yet, he has been hampered by a slew of injuries to key players like as Sergio Aguero, Ansu Fati, and Ousmane Dembele, to mention a few.
Fati’s recent goal-scoring return gave the team something to celebrate during a difficult period, and Laporta expects more positives to follow as more stars become eligible for selection.
According to the club president: “When our injured players recover, we will have more of an edge. [Koeman] has had moments of discouragement but he has recovered his spirit and now that our injured players are recovering, he deserves to have time and our confidence.”
What many have concluded to be questions over Koeman’s job security, Laporta claims have simply been discussions between the two towards the greater good of the club:
“It has been said that we have a cold relationship and that is not true. We have a good, sincere relationship. He is a good person and I believe that he thinks the same of me. We are all trying to make things happen for the better,” Laporta added.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
